The African Union has lifted sanctions on Guinea, citing a successful presidential election that closed a turbulent chapter opened by the 2021 coup.
The decision followed a Peace and Security Council review praising progress on Guinea’s political transition roadmap and December’s orderly presidential vote.
The council congratulated former junta leader Mamady Doumbouya on his election, urging him to honour commitments to restore dignity and democratic life.
It announced Guinea’s reinstatement to African Union activities, ending years of diplomatic suspension and signalling cautious continental re-engagement.
Doumbouya was sworn in on Saturday before tens of thousands of supporters and several African leaders, after securing victory in last month’s ballot.
Guinea’s Supreme Court validated the results days after the late December poll, crediting Doumbouya with 86.7 percent of the vote.
The general seized power in 2021 by toppling Alpha Condé, Guinea’s first freely elected president, in a dramatic military takeover.
Since then, his authorities have restricted civil liberties, banned protests, and detained or forced into exile prominent political opponents.
The African Union’s move reflects guarded optimism, as Guinea’s fragile democracy stands at a crossroads between renewal and remembered repression.
