SC/12005-AFR/3195

Security Council Press Statement on Situation in Guinea-Bissau

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President U. Joy Ogwu (Nigeria):

The members of the Security Council were briefed on 10 August by Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on the situation in Guinea-Bissau.

The members of the Security Council took note of the ongoing tension between the President and the Prime Minister, which threatens to undermine the progress made in Guinea-Bissau since the restoration of constitutional order following elections in 2014.  They further underscored that the Bissau-Guinean people deserve stable, inclusive and cooperative institutions that act in the best interests of all Bissau-Guineans.

The members of the Security Council call on all of Guinea-Bissau’s political leadership, including the President and Prime Minister, to resume dialogue in order to work together in the governance of Guinea-Bissau as it emerges from previous periods of instability.

The members of the Security Council re-emphasized the importance of political stakeholders to engage in continuous and constructive dialogue within the established constitutional parameters.

The members of the Security Council recalled resolution 2203 (2015) and stressed the importance of national reconciliation, inclusive dialogue and good governance, and continued civilian control of government as essential for the attainment of lasting peace in Guinea-Bissau.  They further stressed that the consolidation of peace and stability in Guinea-Bissau can only result from a consensual, inclusive and nationally owned process and respect for constitutional order that places the Bissau-Guinean people first.

The members of the Security Council welcomed ongoing efforts of regional and international actors, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union, the United Nations and its Guinea-Bissau Peacebuilding Commission, the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries and the European Union to encourage dialogue among Guinea-Bissau’s political leadership.  They particularly welcomed the efforts of Senegalese President Macky Sall, Guinean President Alpha Conde and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), Miguel Trovoada, in this regard.

The members of the Security Council recalled the Council’s commitment to support the authorities of Guinea-Bissau and noted that the pledges made at the March 2015 Brussels International Donor Conference require a stable political environment in order to most effectively materialize.

The members of the Security Council commended the peaceful way Guinea-Bissau's population, including civil society and the military, are following the political situation in the country.

For information media. Not an official record.