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20.11.2014 Diaspora (USA)

UN Adopts Communiqué On Guinea Bissau

By Ghana UN Mission
UN Adopts Communiqu On Guinea Bissau
20.11.2014 LISTEN

A communique has been adopted at the United Nations headquarters, New York calling for maximum support from the international community for Guinea Bissau to effectively break the cycle of instability that has affected the country in recent times.

It strongly supported the extension of the mandate of the ECOWAS Mission In Guinea Bissau (ECOMIB) to ensure continuous peace and security, in order to implement identified reforms, particularly to build up the confidence among international partners.

The adoption took place at the 10th working session of the International Contact Group on Guinea Bissau (ICG-GB), co-chaired by Ms, Hannah Tetteh, Ghana's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and Mr. Luis Guterres, Foreign Affairs Minister of Timor-Leste and chairman of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) council of Ministers.

The communique said the successful elections in April and May this year by the people of Guinea Bissau, is a manifestation of their commitment to democracy and stability.

In this direction, it underscored the importance for that country to implement a fully fledged Security Sector Reform, under a Road-Map supported by the International community.

The communique emphasized the importance the country's institutions upholding the rule of law and fighting impunity, with the active backing of the international partners to support the judicial system.

On the socio-economic front, the communique acknowledged the efforts made by the government of guinea Bissau to initiate the School year and to improve the supply of energy and water to the population. It particularly mentioned efforts by the civil society groups in the education and health sectors as well as to fight for food insecurity.

Regarding the deadly Ebola virus and its potential threat to the socio-economic life of Guinea Bissau, the communique asked for firm commitment to institute operational preparedness plan to forestall a possible outbreak of the epidemic in that country.

To this end, it welcomed calls for additional budgetary support for Guinea Bissau to ensure that it is able to allocate 15 per cent of its total budget to strengthen its national health system, as decided by the Extraordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads Of State and Government in Accra, on November 6, this year.

The communique praised the decisive contribution made by ECOWAS, through ECOMIB which had guaranteed security in Guinea Bissau.

Earlier, the Prime Minster of Guinea Bissau, Mr. Domingos Simoes Pereira, had given an update of the current situation there, whilst the Secretary General in a statement read by Mr. Migue Trovoada, his Special Representative in Guinea Bissau and another message by Ambassador Antonio Patriota, Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission spoke in support of the communique and efforts to stabilize the peace and security of that country.

The were other contributions by the member states on how to effectively coordinate and harmonize international interventions for political stability and economic recovery.

Later, at the Security Council, Ms. Tetteh welcomed the reactivation of the International Contact Group, assuring that ECOWAS will continue to support Guinea Bissau to achieve peace, security and development.

She further urged the United Nations and the International community to help the country in preparing against Ebola and other challenges.

The security council later endorsed the recommendations of the contact group.

Meanwhile a donor's conference to support guinea Bissau is to be held in January next year.

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