Informal Consultations of Security Council Committee Established Pursuant to Resolution 2048 (2012) – 12 September 2017

On 12 September 2017, the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2048 (2012) concerning Guinea-Bissau held informal consultations to consider the Secretary-General’s report on progress made with regards to stabilization and restoration of constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau, submitted pursuant paragraph 19 of resolution 2267 (2016).

The Chief of the Security Council Subsidiary Bodies, Kelvin Ong, provided an overview of the key findings and recommendations detailed in the report.  Modibo Touré, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Guinea-Bissau and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea‑Bissau (UNIOGBIS), also joined the meeting via teleconference from Bissau to provide an update on the situation in the country.

Mr. Ong remarked that the recommendations presented last year by the Secretary-General in his report remained valid, which are:  maintaining the sanctions regime and its criteria; sending a strong message that it is ready to impose sanctions to all spoilers and eventually adopt additional measures and designations; considering the establishment of a Panel of Experts and defining benchmarks for the lifting of sanctions.

Mr. Ong welcomed the visit of the Chair of the Sanctions Committee to Guinea-Bissau and considered that the visit constituted an important signal of the Committee’s commitment with the situation in the country.  He also took note of the findings contained in the Chair’s report of the visit.

Mr. Touré noted that, since his last briefing to the Security Council, there were not significant developments in Guinea-Bissau and expressed appreciation for the recommendations contained in the Secretary General’s report.

Some members commented in favour of a review of the 2048 Sanctions List and on measures being still useful and effective.  One member, though, warned against broad interpretation of listing criteria and questioned their relevance.