EU Foreign Policy Chief Calls For Dialogue To Solve Guinea-Bissau Electoral Crisis

EU Foreign Policy Chief Calls for Dialogue to Solve Guinea-Bissau Electoral Crisis

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in a press release on Thursday has called for dialogue between Guinea-Bissau's competing political factions to resolve the ongoing electoral crisis in the African country that resulted in the inauguration of two rival presidents and the threat of a further escalation in tensions

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th March, 2020) High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in a press release on Thursday has called for dialogue between Guinea-Bissau's competing political factions to resolve the ongoing electoral crisis in the African country that resulted in the inauguration of two rival presidents and the threat of a further escalation in tensions.

"Presidential elections took place in Guinea-Bissau on 24 November and 29 December 2019. The process has yet to be finalised and all sides should respect the legal and constitutional framework to resolve the post electoral crisis. The parties should give priority to dialogue and refrain from any unilateral action that could further exacerbate tensions," Borrell said.

The EU foreign policy chief called on the African country's defense and security forces to refrain from interfering in the ongoing political crisis, amid reports published on the Africa News portal on March 1 that the country's military had been deployed at key state installations.

Borrell also called for the creation of an Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) mission in the country to help bring the situation under control.

"The EU would furthermore strongly welcome an ECOWAS high-level political mission to Bissau to help speed up efforts to resolve the post electoral crisis," the foreign policy chief stated.

On January 1, Portuguese news agency Lusa, citing the National Election Commission of Guinea-Bissau, declared that former Prime Minister Umaro Sissoco Embalo had won the presidential election in the country.

Rival politicians from the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde have called the result fraudulent, and on February 29, lawmakers appointed parliament speaker Cipriano Cassama as a rival interim president. Cassama resigned just one day later, reportedly citing the threat of civil war in the African country.