ECOWAS Pre-Election Mission in Guinea-Bissau Backs Credible, Peaceful Polls on 23 November 2025.
By Raymond Enoch
The ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau has intensified its pre-election engagements with key national stakeholders, holding strategic consultations with the National Election Commission (CNE) ahead of the country’s Presidential and Legislative Elections scheduled for 23 November 2025.
In a pivotal meeting in Bissau, the ECOWAS team, led by Serigne Mamadou Ka, Acting Head of the ECOWAS Electoral Assistance Division (EAD) within the Directorate for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, met with officials of the CNE headed by its Acting Chairman, Mr. N’Pabi Cabi. The high-level talks formed part of the EOM’s broader stakeholder engagement framework designed to assess the electoral environment, strengthen confidence in the process, and reinforce preventive diplomacy measures before Guineans go to the polls.
During the consultations, both parties undertook an in-depth review of the status of preparations for the elections, with particular attention to the CNE’s operational readiness and institutional capacity, logistical arrangements across the national territory, and safeguards and procedures to enhance transparency, credibility and inclusiveness. Mr. Cabi briefed the Mission on the Commission’s roadmap and technical preparations, reiterating the CNE’s determination to conduct the Presidential and Legislative Elections in strict conformity with Guinea-Bissau’s legal framework and established electoral procedures.
He underscored the importance of collaboration with ECOWAS and other regional and international partners in strengthening public trust, enhancing voter confidence and ensuring that the 23 November polls are peaceful, orderly and reflective of the will of the electorate. He further emphasized that the CNE is working to ensure that polling staff are adequately trained, materials are deployed in good time, and that procedures are followed rigorously so that every eligible voter can exercise their franchise freely and safely.
Speaking on behalf of the Mission, Mr. Ka reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to upholding its long-standing principles of neutrality, objectivity and respect for the sovereignty of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. He explained that the Medium- and Short-Term Election Observation Mission was deployed by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, under the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which commits Member States and regional institutions to the promotion of peace, stability and democratic governance across West Africa.
Mr. Ka stressed that the EOM’s mandate is not to interfere in the internal affairs of Guinea-Bissau, but to observe, assess and report on the conduct of the electoral process based on regional norms and internationally accepted standards, while encouraging all actors to adhere to the rules of the game and to resolve any disputes through legal and peaceful means. He expressed confidence that, with sustained cooperation between national institutions, political stakeholders and regional partners, Guinea-Bissau can deliver Presidential and Legislative Elections that reinforce democratic consolidation and contribute to lasting peace and stability in the country and the wider ECOWAS region.
The consultations with the CNE are part of a wider series of engagements that the ECOWAS Mission is undertaking with governmental authorities and relevant state institutions, political parties and candidates, civil society organizations and citizen observer groups, security agencies, as well as international and regional partners. These early engagements ahead of the 23 November elections are integral to ECOWAS’ preventive diplomacy approach – identifying potential flashpoints, encouraging dialogue and promoting peaceful contestation of political power through the ballot box rather than violence.
Both the ECOWAS Observation Mission and the CNE reaffirmed their shared commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process in Guinea-Bissau. As the 23 November 2025 polls draw closer, the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission will continue its consultations and field assessments, underscoring the organisation’s unwavering commitment to supporting Member States in organizing credible, peaceful and inclusive elections.
