UN SECURITY COUNCIL PRESS STATEMENT ON GUINEA-BISSAU
NEW YORK, July 31, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Néstor Osorio (Colombia):
The members of the Security Council were briefed on 26 July 2012 by Joseph Mutaboba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), and the President of the Peacebuilding Commission Configuration for Guinea-Bissau, Ambassador Maria Luiza Viotti, and heard statements by the Permanent Representative of Côte d'Ivoire on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and by the Permanent Representative of Mozambique on behalf of the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP).
The members of the Security Council recalled resolution 2048 (2012), restated their demands for the full restoration of constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau and called on all political actors and civil society to engage in a consensual, inclusive and nationally owned transition process and in a genuine dialogue. They encouraged ECOWAS and CPLP, in collaboration with the United Nations and African Union, to support this process.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the importance of coordination of international efforts to address the crisis in Guinea-Bissau and, in that context, called on the Secretary-General to actively engage in this process, in order to harmonize the respective positions of international and regional partners, in accordance with paragraph 3 of resolution 2048 (2012). The members of the Security Council further discussed the possibility of convening an international high-level meeting, bringing together the United Nations, African Union, ECOWAS, CPLP, European Union and other international partners, as well as all relevant national stakeholders, in order to produce a comprehensive and integrated strategy and a road map with short- and long-term actions for the full restoration of constitutional order and to address the multidimensional peacebuilding challenges in Guinea-Bissau.
The members of the Security Council underlined the need to support Guinea-Bissau's efforts to establish a clear timetable for the organization of free, fair and transparent presidential and legislative elections, in line with national legislation and international standards.
The members of the Security Council underlined the need for concrete measures in key areas for long-term stability in Guinea-Bissau; among those, the reform of the security sector, the promotion and respect of rule of law, the creation of an enabling environment for the enhanced control over the security forces, the fight against impunity and the fight against drug-trafficking, and the promotion of social-economic development. In this context, the members of the Security Council condemned the continuing interference of the military in politics and expressed their concern with reports of an increase in drug trafficking since the 12 April coup d'état.
The members of the Security Council expressed their commitment to continue to follow closely the situation in Guinea-Bissau.