Guinea-Bissau’s President, Umaro Sissoco Embaló, has officially declared his candidacy for a second term in the presidential elections set for late November. Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Monday evening, Embaló expressed confidence in securing victory in the first round.
Returning from an official visit to Russia, Embaló landed in the capital, Bissau, where he addressed the media. His presidency has been marked by controversy, with opponents questioning the legitimacy of his 2020 election victory.
Opposition groups had called for mass protests starting February 29, arguing that Embaló’s five-year term ended on February 27, 2020. However, heavy security presence in Bissau prevented demonstrations from taking place.
“There is no doubt—I will run and I will win in the first round,” Embaló told journalists at the airport. He also claimed to have personally ordered the expulsion of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) mission from the country, adding, “Guinea-Bissau is not a banana republic.”
ECOWAS mediators had been in Bissau from February 21 to 28 to negotiate a resolution between the government and the opposition over the disputed end date of the president’s term. The regional delegation, led by Bagudu Hirse, had prepared a draft agreement outlining a roadmap for both the presidential and parliamentary elections. However, the details of the proposal were not made public.
Following Embaló’s remarks, the ECOWAS delegation left Bissau on March 1.
On February 23, Embaló confirmed that both presidential and parliamentary elections would take place on November 30, 2025. He had previously dissolved the opposition-led parliament in December 2023 after armed clashes, labeling the unrest as an attempted coup.
Parliamentary elections, initially scheduled for November 24, 2024, were postponed indefinitely due to logistical and financial challenges.