S/PV.5248 Security Council

Today is the second anniversary of the bombing of United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, in which 22 people lost their lives and hundreds more were injured. May I ask the members of the Council to join me in observing a minute of silence to honour the memory of those who were killed while assisting the Iraqi people in their pursuit of peace, stability and democracy.

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Guinea-Bissau, in which she requests to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the discussion, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them document S/2005/380, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on developments in Guinea-Bissau and on the activities of the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in that country. Following consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following statement on behalf of the Council: “The Security Council acknowledges with satisfaction the successful holding of the presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau and the announcement by the National Electoral Commission of the final results of the ballot. This marks an important step towards the restoration of constitutional order. The Security Council takes note of the appeal filed with the Supreme Court of Justice by one of the contenders and strongly encourages all parties to honour their commitments and accept the final ruling of the Court. The Security Council urges them to refrain from any actions that could jeopardize the efforts towards peace and stability in Guinea-Bissau. “The Security Council commends the people of Guinea-Bissau for their encouraging participation in the electoral process. “The Security Council pays tribute to Guinea-Bissau's partners and neighbours, which provided indispensable support for the holding of the elections. The Security Council also congratulates international observers on the essential role they played throughout the country, and welcomes their statement recognizing the presidential elections as free, fair and transparent. “The Security Council expresses its appreciation for the contribution made by the African Union, the Community of Portuguese- Speaking Countries, the Economic Community of West African States, the European Union, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General, the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the African Union, the Representative of the Secretary- General in Guinea-Bissau and the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS), bilateral partners and international financial institutions. The Security Council underlines the importance of their timely diplomatic efforts aimed at promoting national dialogue and respect for the rule of law. “Considering the challenges still facing Guinea-Bissau, the Security Council urges all relevant national and international parties to reaffirm their commitment to peace and democracy in Guinea-Bissau, and calls upon bilateral development partners of Guinea-Bissau, international financial institutions and United Nations agencies to increase their support for economic and social development and the consolidation of national institutions, as well as the promotion of good governance and human rights, in particular by providing emergency financial assistance and technical support, in the short run, and by participating actively in the Donor Round Table Conference to be held in November 2005. “The Security Council therefore welcomes the decision taken by the Economic and Social Council on 26 July 2005 to extend the mandate of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau, and commends the group for its work. “The Security Council invites the Secretary- General to present recommendations in his next report regarding the updating of UNOGBIS's mandate and role in the consolidation of peace and stability in Guinea-Bissau in the post- transition period.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2005/39. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.