The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has appointed Ghanaian statesman and diplomat, Ambassador Baba Kamara, as Head of Mission for its Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the Republic of Guinea-Bissau ahead of the country’s general elections scheduled for 23rd November 2025.
In an official communication dated 14th November 2025, ECOWAS conveyed its decision to dispatch an 80-member observation team to Guinea-Bissau from 19th to 26th November 2025.
The mission will consist of experts drawn from foreign ministries, electoral commissions, ECOWAS Ambassadors, the Council of the Wise, ECOWAS Court of Justice, civil society organisations, media practitioners, and other electoral specialists across the sub-region.
The appointment recognises Ambassador Kamara’s extensive diplomatic and security expertise, spanning more than four decades of public service to Ghana and West Africa. A former National Security Advisor, he has served in several high-level roles, including Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria (with concurrent accreditation to Cameroon, Chad, and São Tomé & Príncipe) and Ghana’s Permanent Representative to the ECOWAS Commission from 2009–2012.
He also served as Senior Presidential Advisor before assuming the role of National Security Advisor between 2013 and 2017.
Ambassador Kamara is widely recognised as a respected statesman with deep insight into peace, security, democracy, and governance across West Africa. His experience in election observation includes serving as Deputy Head of the ECOWAS Observation Mission for Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Elections, as well as participating in election monitoring exercises in Togo and Côte d’Ivoire.
Currently, Ambassador Kamara holds the position of Special Envoy for Counterterrorism for ECOWAS, a role to which he was appointed in July 2023 by the Authority of Heads of State and Government, in recognition of his depth of experience in regional security and diplomacy.
Ambassador Kamara’s leadership is expected to strengthen ECOWAS’ commitment to promoting credible, transparent, and peaceful elections in Guinea-Bissau as part of its broader mandate to uphold democracy and good governance in the region.