Statement of the SRSG for Guinea-Bissau

3 August 2010 - The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Guinea-Bissau, Joseph Mutaboba, takes note of the intention of the National Defense Council of Guinea-Bissau, expressed at its 1 August meeting, to consider the principle of a stabilization mission to Guinea-Bissau. He notes that this intention is in line with the spirit of the Security Council Presidential Statement of 22 July that invited the Government of Guinea-Bissau and the international community to cooperate fully with ECOWAS with a view to establishing a mechanism for ensuring the safety of state civilian institutions in Guinea-Bissau as stated in the Final Communiqué of the 38 th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Guinea-Bissau wishes to express the readiness of the United Nations to extend its full support to the efforts of the authorities of Guinea-Bissau and other national stakeholders, in close collaboration with partners such as ECOWAS, the African Union, the CPLP and the European Union, toward consolidation of long-term stability in the country and the sub-region. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Guinea-Bissau looks forward to further consultations with Guinea-Bissau authorities and regional stakeholders on this issue.