7 April 2011 - The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and United Nations Resident Coordinator in Guinea-Bissau, Gana Fofang, today hailed the Government of Guinea-Bissau for its debate on international aid effectiveness.

"This iniciative enhances the national authorities commitment to improve the aid effectiveness. While ratifying the Declaration of Paris in August last year, the Government committed to take long term measures aimed to reform the modalities of aid delivery and management in view of the coordination national ownership", DSRSG and UN Resident Coordinator told at the opening ceremony of a national consultation in Bissau, chaired by Guinea-Bissau Prime minister Carlos Gomes Junior.

Mr. Fofang explained that the two day meeting is also an opportunity to improve Guinea-Bissau's visibility in the international community and "we hope that it would help mobilize resources for the new Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP)."

In his statement, Bissau-Guinean Prime minister recalled "Guinea-Bissau's dependence of Development Public Aid, namely to fund its budget and development policies, which represents more than 30% of the GDP".

Carlos Gomes Junior also added the country lacks a national mechanism for external aid, which had led sometimes to duplication of efforts, and called for a deep debate on the aid management and coordination "involving all actors including the Government, Parliament, civil society organizations, diaspora, local and regional authorities as well as international community to address this issue."

The two day meeting is organized by the Government with the support of UNDP and OECD.