DAKAR – In response to a military coup, the African Union has suspended Guinea-Bissau, underscoring its firm stance against unconstitutional power shifts.

The AU Peace and Security Council, in a resolution passed on Friday, emphasized its “zero tolerance” policy on government overthrows and decided to “immediately suspend the Republic of Guinea-Bissau from participating in all activities of the Union, its organs, and institutions until the constitutional order is reestablished in the country.”

Since gaining independence from Portugal over five decades ago, Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s most impoverished nations, has been marred by frequent coups and coup attempts, the latest occurring in October. With a population of 2.2 million, the nation is a notorious conduit for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe, a factor experts believe exacerbates its political instability.

On Thursday, the West African regional alliance, ECOWAS, also suspended Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies until the nation returns to constitutional governance.

The military coup unfolded on Wednesday, following presidential and legislative elections held on Sunday. Both sitting President Umaro Sissoco Embaló and opposition contender Fernando Dias declared themselves winners.

On Thursday, Embaló traveled to neighboring Senegal aboard a flight arranged by the Senegalese government.

Following the coup, the military high command in the West African nation inaugurated former army chief of staff, Gen. Horta Inta-a, as the head of the military government, which will oversee a one-year transition period, according to a declaration broadcast on state television.