S/PV.6569 Security Council

I thank Mr. Mutaboba for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ambassador Viotti.

I am pleased to brief the Security Council in my capacity as Chair of the Guinea-Bissau configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission. I extend a warm welcome to His Excellency Mr. Aristides Ocante da Silva, Minister of National Defence of Guinea-Bissau, and to His Excellency Mr. Manuel Domingos Augusto, Secretary of State for Political Affairs of the Ministry of External Relations of Angola and Chair of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP). I thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr. Joseph Mutaboba, for his briefing and for his work as head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS). Since I last briefed the Council (see S/PV.6489), the configuration has continued to closely follow political developments in Guinea-Bissau and has directed its efforts towards generating synergies that could be instrumental to security sector reform. The configuration also continues to support the country’s efforts to consolidate the rule of law, to combat drug trafficking and impunity and to address social issues, in particular concerning youth and women. We have not lost sight of the importance of encouraging job creation and of promoting a more vigorous economy as crucial elements of an integrated peacebuilding strategy. The situation in Guinea-Bissau has improved in many areas, as we have just heard from the briefing by Mr. Mutaboba. On the political side, it is important to note that stability has taken hold. The current Government has been the most stable and long-lasting since 1997. The Government continues to show commitment to security sector reform. After the endorsement of the road map of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) in March, a task force was created to oversee its implementation. The basic legislation setting the structure of the armed forces has been approved. The configuration acknowledges the initiatives taken by international partners to support security sector reform and encourages further external assistance to ensure the successful implementation of the road map in Guinea-Bissau. In that connection, the launching of a pension fund for the military is certainly one of the main security sector reform priorities in Guinea-Bissau. In that regard, at yesterday’s meeting of the configuration, we welcomed the announcement by Minister Aristides Ocante da Silva that the Government of Guinea-Bissau will allocate financial resources to the fund in the amount of $4.5 million. That is a clear indication of the political will to move forward on the reform. We also welcomed the pledge of $63 million to security sector reform in Guinea- Bissau during the ECOWAS summit. It is important that international partners come together to build upon those pledges and to make the fund operational as soon as possible. There have also been positive developments in the fight against drug trafficking. The Government of Guinea-Bissau has implemented its commitments under the West African Coast Initiative by appointing the Management Board and the Chair of the Transnational Crime Unit (TCU). The TCU in Bissau is expected to move into its new premises by the end of the month. Another positive step was the adoption by the Council of Ministers of the 2011-2014 operational plan to fight drug trafficking and organized crime, conceived by the Ministry of Justice with the support of UNIOGBIS and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. It is now essential that the international community provide timely and steady support in terms of technical expertise and financial resources to make the TCU operational so as to ensure tangible progress on the basis of common and shared responsibility, whereby the countries of origin, transit and final destination join efforts in the fight against the scourge of drugs. On the economic side, the implementation of public administration and public finance reforms, including efforts to improve fiscal discipline, have yielded positive results. A growth rate of approximately 4 per cent is forecast for 2011, which is also due to the positive prospects for cashew nut exports and public infrastructure works. After a visit to Bissau last March, the International Monetary Fund noted that the country’s performance had been satisfactory and that the prospects for compliance with benchmarks in the Extended Credit Facility programme for January to December 2011 were promising. In addition, under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Debt Initiative, the Paris Club creditors announced $283 million in debt relief for Guinea-Bissau last May. The international community needs to encourage and to support such positive developments, which reflect a clear political commitment on the part of Guinea-Bissau to the implementation of the necessary measures to consolidate peace in the country. In that context, we welcome the approval by the Peacebuilding Fund Joint Steering Committee of the revised version of the 2011-2013 Peacebuilding Priority Plan for Guinea-Bissau. We expect the timely disbursement of up to $16.8 million in support of security sector reform, political dialogue and reconciliation, as well as job creation as a peace dividend, with particular attention to women and youth. We must take advantage of the positive momentum and persevere in our collective efforts to support Guinea-Bissau as it addresses key peacebuilding challenges. National authorities must steadily pursue efforts to fully restore international confidence. In turn, international partners should look beyond the setbacks of the past and should support long-term political and economic stability in the country. We call on all stakeholders to take advantage of the progress made so far and to lend enhanced support for sustainable peace and development in Guinea-Bissau.

I thank Mrs. Viotti for her briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Aristides Ocante da Silva, Minister of Defence of Guinea-Bissau.

I would first of all like to take this opportunity to congratulate the President, Mr. Nelson Messone of Gabon, a country with which Guinea-Bissau has good friendly relations, on his assumption of the presidency of the Security Council. I would also like to extend our warm greetings to the members of this important international body that oversees peace and security in the world. I thank them on behalf of the Government and the people of Guinea-Bissau for having given us this opportunity to speak at this meeting about developments in our country’s political, institutional and socio-economic situation. Similarly, I would like to thank His Excellency the Secretary-General for his efforts to stabilize the political and social situation of our country, in particular through strong and fruitful cooperation between our national authorities and the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea- Bissau (UNIOGBIS) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as regards their involvement in Guinea-Bissau. I would also like to welcome the presence among us of the Secretary of State for Political Affairs of the Ministry for Foreign Relations of Angola — the country currently chairing the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) — as well as of the Executive Secretary of the CPLP. I wish to underscore the unfailing support of the CPLP, and in particular that of Angola, for the speedy provision of resources to begin the restructuring process of our country’s defence and security forces. Last February, His Excellency Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Júnior was here in the Chamber (see S/PV.6489) leading an important governmental delegation, of which I was part, in order to share with the Council developments in the political and socio- economic context in Guinea-Bissau. We believe that it is our duty to come here once again today to share with the members of the Council information on the situation in Guinea-Bissau and on the short-, medium- and long-term prospects that could put my country on the path to political stabilization, and in which lie the groundwork for socio-economic development and for respect of our international commitments, in particular towards the Millennium Development Goals. Following the recommendations of the Security Council, in particular with regard to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)-CPLP road map, the Government Council of Ministers met and agreed on the actions outlined in that road map. At the same time, it underscored the importance of taking into account political developments subsequent to the creation of that road map, with a view to ensuring complementarity and effectiveness in its implementation. ECOWAS heads of State and Government subsequently held a summit-level meeting in Abuja on 24 March, where they adopted the road map. In doing so, they paved the way for the plan’s implementation by allocating $63 million in support of priority reform programmes, such as those relating to the pension fund, demobilization and recruitment, reintegration, institutional training and support and the setting up of the technical assistance mission. At the initiative of the Steering Committee for defence and security sector reform, ECOWAS and the CPLP were invited to send experts who would help to establish a task force charged with implementing the road map. That was accomplished between 28 April and 3 May, with the involvement of the African Union, and resulted in the formulation of relevant recommendations on an organizational chart for the mission, the composition of civilian, military and security components and a proposed schedule for implementing the various actions outlined in the road map. The plan for the task force will be submitted to the Steering Committee and will subsequently include multilateral partners, such as UNIOGBIS, UNDP and the European Union, as well as bilateral partners. In terms of our political agenda, the Prime Minister noted here that we were holding consultations with the European Union under article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement. That Agreement is the legal framework underpinning cooperation between the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (ACP) and is aimed at furthering political dialogue, in particular on respect for human rights, democratic principles, the rule of law and good governance. My Government agreed with the outcome of those consultations, which was the result of some preparation and understanding among the main national institutions, which met with President Malam Bacai Sanhá, in the presence of the President of the Parliament, the Prime Minister and the President of the Supreme Court, to reassert Guinea-Bissau’s commitment to dialogue and to restoring its close relations with the European Union, our country’s largest economic partner. Following those consultations, which took place in Brussels on 29 March, and after preliminary meetings with the ACP secretariat and Committee of Ambassadors — and we believe that those results were very encouraging — my Government undertook a number of commitments. Through a decree issued by the Prime Minister, a follow-up committee was established in late in April. I myself chaired that committee, whose members included representatives of various institutions, ranging from the country’s presidency to civil society, the armed forces and the judiciary. A number of working meetings have since been held within the committee and between it and the European Union. On Friday, 24 June, we concluded our second working meeting with the delegation of the European Union and ambassadors of EU member States accredited to Guinea-Bissau. That meeting assessed my Government’s progress in executing its commitments, with the results deemed satisfactory by both parties. I wish to take the opportunity of being here today with the members of the Security Council to emphasize some important aspects of the defence and security sector reform process, including judicial reform as well as civil service and public finance reforms. In passing, it is worth recalling that the very reason for the reforms stems from the fact that these sectors have witnessed repeated episodes of conflict, in particular towards the end of the 1990s, in what was a very difficult economic situation. The public administration was plagued by poor management, crumbling and sorely lacking infrastructure, disturbing health and education indicators, a faltering judicial sector and the ineffective fight against criminality and organized crime. In addition, there was a general feeling, which we shared, that the link between this reform and the economic development of our country was very strong indeed, given that defence and security sector reform, including of the structural elements of the State, is itself a prerequisite for development. Our army and security forces, which we inherited from the war of independence, were no longer adapted to the new demands created by the new approach to national defence following independence. That is why we experimented with a series of reforms, in particular during the post-conflict period. However, they did not produce the desired results. The army and the security forces were still heavily overstaffed, with significant imbalances in the number of officers, sergeants and soldiers. For instance, officers now account for 70 per cent of our army, while soldiers account for 30 per cent. There is insufficient re-enlistment owing to the failure to apply the mandatory military service law. This situation demands change. The legal framework for police and security forces was virtually non-existent, and the army was rife with deficiencies, not to mention its undertrained troops and lack of training programmes. Under those circumstances, defence and security sector reform was imperative. That effort has already led to encouraging changes and progress. For instance, on the legal front, beyond the certifications for the army, the security sector and the judicial sector that were approved last year by the Government and Parliament and enacted by our country’s President, other legislation has recently been adopted, in areas such as those mentioned by Mrs. Viotti. For instance, the organic law on the basic organization of the armed forces was approved by the President and subsequently passed by the Parliament, on 16 June. The new law created the post of an army deputy chief of staff. Approval was also given for a political declaration on combating drug trafficking and organized crime, which includes a national operational plan for the period 2011 to 2014, as well as an operational plan for security sector reform that includes a very precise implementation timetable. We have also received a contribution of $16.8 million from the 2011-2013 Peacebuilding Priority Plan for Guinea-Bissau, disbursed through the Peacebuilding Fund. We have developed plans, at no additional cost, to rehabilitate prisons and military barracks and expect to launch those projects in July. We have created a national guard as a new component of Guinea-Bissau’s security apparatus. That was done by means of an organic law that was approved by Parliament, enacted by the President and published in the official gazette. Six-week training sessions have already been held for several groups of former police forces. However, the only difficulty facing the national guard is the establishment of its headquarters and command centre. We have expanded model police stations throughout the country. Progress has also been made in humanitarian demining operations and in the destruction of explosive devices. There are good prospects for building new and more secure weapons depots, with support from the Republic of Angola and the United States. Four working teams have been established to provide technical advice to the Steering Committee on programmes involving demobilization, the pension fund, reintegration, recruitment, military training, infrastructure and equipment and legal and institutional management. The teams are composed of civil servants from the army, the police, the justice sector, UNIOGBIS, UNDP, the European Union, the African Union and ECOWAS, as well as the Angolan and Brazilian military missions. We have also conducted a bidding process based on specifications prepared with the European Union delegation and selected a bank — namely, the Banco da Africa Ocidental in Bissau, which has just been mentioned — to manage the pension fund. An account has already been opened for the disbursement of funds. The first payments have been proposed by the road map task force for next September, although that has not yet been decided. With regard to departures due to retirement, the timetable for the following numbers: 1,320 people in 2009, 153 in 2010, 157 in 2011, 169 in 2012, 133 in 2013, 138 in 2014 and 108 in 2015. The number of early voluntary departures is estimated in the hundreds. In addition, my next trip to Timor-Leste next August as head of a military delegation to the official ceremony for demobilizing former guerrilla fighters will be an opportunity to draw lessons and learn from the experience of the Timorese people. In connection with that task, on 16 June the Government approved a payment scale for the pension fund that takes into account two other aspects other than age-based retirements. The first pertains to the retirement of military personnel who are veterans of the war of independence, while the second has to do with early voluntary retirements for those who have not reached the age threshold. With regard to the first category, retirees will receive pension payments of 100 per cent of their current salaries, in accordance with the law adopted following independence. As for the second category, the Government had to resort to new arbitration, which set the pension at between 60 and 100 per cent of current salaries. This applies to soldiers and corporals whose present salaries are, respectively, approximately $60 and $67. Furthermore, the total cost of the pension fund will be accordingly reassessed by 15 July. Additional measures are planned, such as the establishment of a pension fund for the defence and security forces, following a specific regime, which will be integrated into the civil service pension fund in a general system for all of the State’s civil servants. Through these savings and staff assessments, we will be able to ensure the continuation of the pension fund beyond 2015. There is therefore agreement that the pension fund is a necessary, albeit insufficient, element in reconfiguring the defence and security forces that will have a very positive effect on the health of public finances by reducing the total wage bill and improving the social profile of these forces. The fund is thus of a strategic nature in terms of both short- and medium- term reforms. The revitalization of the military hierarchy as provided for in the road map entails proceeding with gradual departures. With an army made up of 70 per cent officers, it is clear that a good part of the military hierarchy has reached the age limit and, under the terms of the law, should retire. The retirement age is between 48 and 64 years of age, based on categories. Those between 40 and 59 years of age will therefore gradually be prepared for retirement, while those between 18 and 49 years will receive training to enable them to reach higher ranks in the army. At the same time, measures for redeployment are planned for general and higher officers for posts such as ambassadors, defence attachés, military advisers and international civil servants, based on the level of each. Given that the pension amounts they are to receive may not encourage them to retire, it will be crucial to set up a reintegration programme for volunteers and those who depart early. This could be done by first using funds already available under the road map and the Peacebuilding Priority Plan. I would like to take this opportunity to express my Government’s desire that the international community consider holding the high-level meeting on the priority reform programmes that was postponed indefinitely owing to the events of 1 April 2010. With respect to the staff of a reconfigured army — whose number should not exceed 4,000 and who must undergo training and certification similar to that now being provided to the police forces — only 30 per cent will be permanent. The others will form the army’s non-permanent ranks. The reform for this sector accordingly provides a broad range of projects for these men. In the short term, however, the Ministry has already been given a legal decree on the activities of the Government and the armed forces in the productive sector that provides for the establishment of a military production centre with agricultural, agro-industrial, manufacturing, military engineering and sanitation units, aimed at maximizing the enormous potential of the resources made available to the army by the Government. In addition, early this month we put in place a new mechanism for distributing supplies to the army that aims at improving the quality of services and access to resources. Before I conclude, allow me to report on other important progress in the area of consolidating the rule of law and improving the macroeconomic business environment in our country. Reform is under way in the public administration with the establishment of a single payroll, which is something new that makes it possible to monitor the State’s salary spending, as well as the setting up of a database and an integrated human resources management centre for the civil service. This system followed a biometric census of civil servants, which revealed the existence of about 4,000 bogus civil servants. That enabled the State to reduce current spending by 12 per cent. Only the armed forces are currently not part of the payroll. However, following a meeting in May with the latest mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a commitment was undertaken by the Government to begin payments to personnel present beginning in July, followed by the integration of army staff under a single payroll. This approach aims to improve the administrative management of human resources in the army and to ensure transparency of the payroll. All these reform efforts are in the context of the IMF’s latest assessment that the role played by the Government in the framework of the three-year agreement under the Extended Credit Facility had been satisfactory. Having reached the completion point of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative, and given the successful outcome of the Paris Club meeting, which forgave 90 per cent of the external debt of Guinea-Bissau — a step later followed by Brazil, Portugal and Angola — we can affirm that there is new momentum in the pace of economic reform. The Government is now establishing measures to increase revenue and improve the management of public finances and structural reforms. With an economic growth rate in Guinea-Bissau of 3.5 per cent in 2010, the IMF and the Government predict an increase to 4.3 per cent for this year. That is thanks to the increase in the production of and sale price of cashew nuts, as well as the reconstruction of infrastructure. The immediate goals are to raise growth to 4.5 per cent by the end of the programme, decrease annual inflation and maintain the budgetary deficit consistent with available financing. My Government has also established a business training centre in order to create an environment conducive to fostering and improving economic activity. Preparations are also under way to conclude the electoral cycle, in particular with Parliament’s adoption of a draft law for municipalities that gives added value to the process of decentralization. I could refer to other important measures, although I want to conclude and avoid speaking at length. For example, Parliament has adopted a fiercely debated law banning the practice of female genital mutilation, which represents an important step in respect for human rights. The Government has also adopted and submitted to Parliament a host of laws, including on freedom of the press, social media, the status of journalists and the right of reply. Finally, it is important to highlight the very committed efforts by the Parliament and other national institutions in the process of national reconciliation — with regard to the army, the security forces and Guinea-Bissau’s diaspora — in particular the meetings held in Dakar and Lisbon for our nationals living in Africa and Europe. In the spirit of our national strategic poverty reduction document, the Government is focusing its attention on reforms to the security, defence and justice sectors and the modernization of the State. We are also focusing on putting in place policies to improve access to basic social services and optimize sectors with high potential for growth — such as agriculture, agro-industry, fishing, tourism and mining — as well as other promising sectors when it comes to infrastructure and investment. To do this, in addition to domestic efforts, Guinea-Bissau needs strong support from the international community. We count on such support as we define a comprehensive development policy that takes into account all of these reforms in the context of our second national poverty reduction strategy document over the next five years. We expect to hold a donors’ conference in that regard by the end of this year. With respect to the whole host of defence and security sector reform programmes, it is worth mentioning that, during consultations held in Brussels, our Prime Minister announced that 10 per cent of the overall cost of the reform throughout the years of its implementation, including with regard to the pension fund, would be included in the national budget. The Government’s contribution to the pension fund is $4,596,480. I cannot conclude my statement without expressing thanks to ECOWAS and UNIOGBIS for the work carried out by their special representatives in Guinea-Bissau, Hamet Sidibé and Joseph Mutaboba, respectively, as well as to Ambassador Maria Luiza Viotti, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations and Chair of the Guinea-Bissau configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their outstanding work and their commitment to Guinea-Bissau. We are open to advice and guidance that adds value to the efforts that we are undertaking to help our country emerge from the recurring instability that we have had in the recent past. I know that there may be sceptics among those present here. However, I would invite them to share our relative optimism. We are deeply convinced that our country is now regaining peace and stability for the long term, decreasing crime and better respecting human rights. Today, there are no political prisoners or arbitrary detentions. We have the longest-lasting Government since 1997. We have armed forces and security forces that are beginning to believe in the reform of their sectors. We have a population that believes in a Guinea-Bissau that is being reborn and blossoming. I thank members for their solidarity and for their affection for Guinea-Bissau. We believe in a brilliant future. Together, let us move forward.

I thank Minister Da Silva for his statement. I now give the floor to Mr. Manuel Domingos Augusto, Secretary of State for Political Affairs at the Ministry of External Relations of Angola and Chair of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries.

On behalf of my country, I wish to address the Security Council as the current Chair of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) on behalf of the member countries of the CPLP, namely, Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea- Bissau, Mozambique, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor-Leste. As Angola participates in this important meeting of the Security Council, which includes Brazil and Portugal as non-permanent members, dedicated to an assessment of the situation in Guinea-Bissau, with particular emphasis on issues related to the reform of the security sector, we are fully aware of the importance of cooperation among the multilateral and bilateral actors involved in the stabilization of Guinea- Bissau under the auspices of the United Nations, whose Special Representative of the Secretary-General has been doing a clearly outstanding job, which we are pleased to commend. Under the coordination of the United Nations and in close partnership with the Government of Guinea- Bissau, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union, the European Union and the CPLP are committed to the implementation of the road map for security sector reform with determination and a genuine desire to achieve the expected results, namely, the effective subordination of Guinea-Bissau’s armed forces and other defence and security institutions to political control. That process includes upgrading and refurbishing these bodies in order to safeguard institutions, the democratic regime and the reform of the justice sector so that it can count on the appropriate means to effectively combat impunity, organized crime and drug trafficking. Beyond the multilateral aspect, CPLP member countries have shown a great sense of solidarity and commitment to that process at the bilateral level. Tangible efforts that contribute directly to achieving the goals of the road map have been implemented at various levels, with an emphasis on the important political and diplomatic roles of Cape Verde, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe and Timor-Leste in promoting dialogue with a view to national reconciliation in Guinea-Bissau. Brazil is developing a training programme for Guinea-Bissau’s security forces that includes the establishment of a training centre, including Brazilian instructors, for the three security branches, namely, the public order police, the State information service and the judiciary police. Brazil will also establish a training centre for military officers. Moreover, Brazil continues to provide training for the youth of Guinea-Bissau at Brazilian military academies. Portugal is carrying out a basic police training programme, including refresher courses in public security and judicial policing. It is also training judges and prison guards and supporting the implementation of the country’s organic laws, which were developed with the support of the European Union. Last February, Angola established a mission to support security and defence sector reform in Guinea- Bissau, which will provide military and technical assistance to defence and security organs and help to rebuild the military infrastructure. The Angolan Government has contributed a total of $30 million in that regard. The CPLP welcomes the current climate of truce that is now being felt in Guinea-Bissau, and especially the good relations among its national institutions, political forces and civil society, with an emphasis on the ongoing national dialogue involving the Guinean diaspora. Following discussions last November with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank at a meeting of the Guinea-Bissau configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, member countries were encouraged to support the deliberations of both financial institutions on Guinea-Bissau. In December, the IMF and the World Bank declared that Guinea- Bissau had reached the completion point in the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and decided to support debt relief for the country in the amount of more than $1 billion. In that context, on 10 May, Paris Club creditors announced the forgiveness of $283 million of Guinea-Bissau’s debt. The CPLP welcomes the decisions of the IMF, the World Bank and the Paris Club. In addition to recognizing the efforts of the Government of Guinea-Bissau and the progress that has been made, those actions, along with other bilateral and multilateral initiatives, reflect the convergence of views within the international community with regard to an assessment of the situation in the country. Taking into account the negative impact of illicit drugs in Guinea-Bissau and the West African subregion, the CPLP welcomes and supports the recent commitment of ECOWAS authorities to mobilizing West African countries against transnational organized crime. We also stress the need for close collaboration with the High-level Policy Committee of the West Africa Coast Initiative. The Committee has adopted a set of recommendations that include the holding of a donors’ conference to extend financial support for international activities under the Initiative and support the implementation of the ECOWAS plan of action. The Initiative provides an appropriate response to the transnational nature of drug trafficking through the establishment of transnational crime units in countries that have joined the Initiative. The international community must now support the operationalization of the transnational crime unit in Bissau. The Government of Guinea-Bissau has already appointed a board of directors and president for the unit, who will begin work later this month. It is very important to strengthen international cooperation in combating transnational organized crime based on the principle of common and shared responsibility. Countries of origin, transit and destination must become increasingly involved in combating drug trafficking. The CPLP notes with satisfaction the adoption by the National Steering Committee, on 15 June, of a peacebuilding priority plan for Guinea-Bissau for the period 2011-2013. The CPLP therefore calls for $16.8 million from the Peacebuilding Fund to quickly be made available to expedite the implementation of planned activities, so as to prevent uncertainty and insecurity in the country. Guinea-Bissau still faces challenges in several areas, including combating impunity and drug trafficking, the need to bring the military under the control of civilian authorities, and the demobilization and retraining of the personnel of the armed forces. The CPLP has taken note of the information provided by the Minister of Defence on the schedule of actions to be performed by the Government of Guinea-Bissau. In that regard, I would like to stress the importance of quickly rendering operational the armed forces pension fund, which is a key step in the overall security sector reform process. The international community’s commitment is crucial in that connection. We therefore welcome the decision of ECOWAS heads of State and Government to contribute $45 million to the fund, out of the total $63 million contributed to security sector reform. CPLP member countries will also contribute. We call on Guinea-Bissau’s other partners, especially those that have supported the security sector reform process, to make similar contributions. The CPLP also calls for understanding on the part of international and bilateral partners with regard to the need to mobilize additional resources to contribute to the successful implementation of national poverty reduction strategies, as well as the joint CPLP-ECOWAS road map for security sector reform. We believe that only then can the gains of peacebuilding and political stability in Guinea- Bissau be made sustainable and irreversible. For the process to be successful, the CPLP encourages the Government of Guinea-Bissau, as well as the country’s political movements and civil society in general, to join the efforts of the international community for the full implementation of the ongoing programme to ensure peace, security, stability and socio-economic development in the country. The European Union has duly raised some concerns that are shared by all those who defend democracy and the rule of law. Responses and solutions to those concerns must now be found. It is therefore imperative that Guinea- Bissau’s partners not isolate or alienate the country, but act with understanding to support and participate in this massive effort to rebuild the country and forge unity and national reconciliation. Finally, the CPLP also encourages the authorities of Guinea-Bissau to continue to undertake the necessary efforts to pursue a policy of good governance, to promote respect for human rights and to combat impunity, drug trafficking and organized crime, thereby sending positive signals to attract major international and bilateral donors.

I thank Mr. Augusto for his statement. There are no further speakers inscribed on my list. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion on the subject.