A delegation from the West African regional bloc, ECOWAS, has withdrawn from Guinea-Bissau after claiming that President Umaro Sissoco Embaló threatened to expel them.

The team had arrived last month to help the country reach a political agreement on how to organize this year’s elections. They said they had prepared a draft roadmap for the elections and were in the process of presenting it to key stakeholders for approval. However, following the president’s warning, the mission decided to leave early on Saturday morning.

ECOWAS said it will now present a detailed report to its leadership, including proposals aimed at ensuring peaceful and inclusive elections in Guinea-Bissau. President Embaló has not yet commented on the accusations.

Tensions in the country have been rising over the end date of Embaló’s five-year term. The opposition claims his mandate expired last week, while the Supreme Court ruled that it officially ends on September 4.

General elections were initially scheduled for November last year but were postponed by Embaló, who later announced a new date — November 30 this year. The opposition has strongly opposed the delay.

Since gaining independence in 1974, Guinea-Bissau has witnessed numerous coups, including two attempts to overthrow Embaló, the latest in December 2023. In response, he dissolved the opposition-led parliament.

Last Thursday, opposition parties called for a nationwide strike on the day they claimed his term ended, prompting the government to deploy security forces across the capital. Around the same time, Embaló was in Moscow meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss strengthening cooperation between their two nations.