S/PV.5995 Security Council

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/2008/628, 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 recalls its previous statements on Guinea-Bissau and notes the latest report of the Secretary-General on developments in Guinea-Bissau and on the activities of the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS) (S/2008/628). The Council reaffirms its support for the continuing efforts to consolidate peace in that country. “The Security Council welcomes the commitment of the Government of Guinea-Bissau to hold legislative elections on 16 November 2008, as well as the technical and financial support provided by the international community towards the elections, including by Angola, Brazil, Portugal, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the European Union, the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund and the United Nations Development Programme. It calls on donors to continue to provide financial resources to support the electoral process. “The Security Council calls on the Government and all actors, including political parties, the security forces and civil society, to ensure an environment conducive to transparent, free and fair elections, and to respect the results of the polls. “The Security Council notes with satisfaction the adoption of the Strategic Framework for Peacebuilding in Guinea-Bissau by the Guinea-Bissau configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission on 1 October 2008, and notes the importance of rapid and effective implementation of quick-impact projects financed by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. The Council looks forward to the establishment of the monitoring and tracking mechanism of the Strategic Framework. “The Security Council reiterates the importance of security sector reform in Guinea- Bissau, encourages the Government to sustain its efforts in implementing the national security sector reform programme, and underscores the need for the international community to provide further coordinated assistance for its implementation. “The Security Council remains seriously concerned by the continued growth in drug trafficking as well as organized crime, which threatens peace and security in Guinea-Bissau and in the subregion. The Council underlines the responsibility that the Government of Guinea- Bissau has for tackling this issue and calls upon the international community to cooperate actively with Guinea-Bissau in this regard, particularly in providing continued support for building the capacity of national law enforcement and judicial authorities. The Council requests that the Secretary-General provide in his next report further details of what measures are required to deal with these challenges. “The Security Council welcomes the initiative of ECOWAS to convene a regional conference on combating drug trafficking on 28- 29 October 2008 in Praia (Cape Verde), and looks forward to the resulting regional plan of action. “The Security Council expresses its concern about the consequences of rising food and fuel prices and welcomes the World Bank’s support to address this crisis. The Council encourages the Government of Guinea-Bissau to continue its dialogue and cooperation with the international financial institutions. The Council is also concerned about the cholera epidemic and calls on the Government of Guinea-Bissau and its partners to continue and strengthen the efforts to secure its eradication. “The Security Council recognizes and commends the important role played by the Representative of the Secretary-General and the staff of UNOGBIS, as well as by the United Nations country team, towards helping consolidate peace, democracy, the rule of law and development, and expresses its appreciation for their activities. The Council looks forward to receiving recommendations from the Secretary General on how the United Nations presence in Guinea-Bissau should be reconfigured to support peacebuilding more effectively.” This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2008/37. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.