Bissau, 25 August 2022 (TDI): On 24th August, Commissioner of Internal Services of the ECOWAS Commission, Prof. Nazifi Abdullahi Darma held an inspection visit to Guinea-Bissau.
President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro Sissoco Embaló received the delegation. President Embalo is the Chairman authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.
Bissau, August 24, 2022. Prof. Nazifi Abdullahi Darma, Commissioner of Internal Services of the ECOWAS Commission on an Inspection mission to Guinea-Bissau on hosting Statutory Meetings visited the troops of the ECOWAS Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau (SSMGB). pic.twitter.com/VDik7KMmCI
— Ecowas – Cedeao (@ecowas_cedeao) August 25, 2022
The visit was scheduled in lieu of statutory meetings. The meetings took place in the presidential villa in Bissau. Moreover, The commissioner also visited the troops of the ECOWAS Support and Stabilization Mission in Guinea-Bissau (SSMGB).
Waging War to Keep the Peace
The Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) is a peacekeeping force. It is a multilateral armed force and a monitoring group.
It was established by the ECOWAS as a formal arrangement of separate armies to work together. Initially, the Nigerian armed forces contributed greatly in providing logistical support and personnel.
ECOWAS members such as Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, the Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and other member states also contributed forces.
ECOWAS members established ECOMOG in 1990 to intervene in the civil war in Liberia. Ever since, ECOMOG has been instrumental in military interventions to control conflicts.
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Such as the intervention in 1997 in Sierra Leone, to stop the RUF rebellion and in 1999 in Guinea-Bissau to end the Guinea-Bissau Civil War.
Support and Stabilization Mission in Guinea-Bissau (SSMGB)
In February 2022, a failed military coup resulted in 11 dead. The ECOWAS decided to deploy troops to help stabilize the country.
The SSMGB comprises around 600 troops from Nigeria, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. The mission has a mandate of 1 year which is renewable.
Soldiers have surrounded the building where President Umaro Sissoco Embaló is presiding over a cabinet meeting, have taken charge of the state radio station, and have also surrounded the headquarters of the ruling party.
A military coup is unfolding in Guinea-Bissau.
— Timothy Kalyegira (@TimKalyegira) February 1, 2022
Earlier, ECOWAS also intervened in 2012 after a successful coup d’état that overthrew Prime Minister, Carlos Gomes Junior.
In response, a force of more than 1,000 soldiers and police officers was deployed to assist and restore political stability. Ultimately, the forces left the country in September 2020. the mission ensured peace and stability in the country for eight years
