Condemning Recent Violence in Guinea-Bissau, Security Council Presidential Statement Urges Actors to Resolve Differences, Move Ahead with Elections

Expressing deep concern over social and political unrest in Guinea-Bissau, the Security Council, in a presidential statement (document S/PRST/2019/13) today, called on all actors in the country to preserve stability and to respect directives of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Karen Pierce (United Kingdom), Council President for November, affirmed the urgent need to hold presidential elections on 24 November as planned, calling on President José Mário Vaz and the Government led by Prime Minister Aristides Gomes to resolve their differences in a spirit of cooperation.

Condemning recent fatal violence, the Council urged all political actors of the country to show utmost restraint and to resort to dialogue as the only means of resolving their differences.

The Council expressed full support for the ECOWAS and African Union communiques, issued respectively on 29 and 30 October, on developments in Guinea‑Bissau.  It also welcomed the decision by the Government to launch an independent investigation into the violence.

Welcoming the continued neutrality of security forces, the Council reminded all actors that the Council’s possible reconsideration of the existing sanctions regime will depend on their conduct.

The meeting began at 10 a.m. and ended at 10:06 a.m.