Bissau
– West African nations on Thursday recognised Umaro Sissoco Embalo as president
of Guinea-Bissau, after four months of dispute over whether his election was
fraudulent.

Embalo won a run-off presidential
vote in the chronically unstable country in December, according to the
country’s electoral authority.

But losing candidate Domingos
Simoes Pereira, from the long-ruling PAIGC party, called the election
fraudulent and took the case to the Supreme Court, which has not yet ruled.

Embalo, a former prime minister,
declared himself president in February without waiting for the court, creating
a political impasse.

The heads of state of Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said in a statement that they
recognised Embalo as president but also called for constitutional reform to be
put to a referendum within six months.

READ | Guinea-Bissau urged to stick to election timeline

Experts have argued that the
country’s semi-presidential system contributes to its instability, with
frequent clashes between the president and the prime minister.

Guinea-Bissau has known little
but coups and instability since its independence from Portugal in 1974.

READ | Police seize 800kg of cocaine in Guinea-Bissau

The country has also long
struggled with poverty and corruption and it has also become a transit route
for South American cocaine heading to Europe.