20 March 2014 - The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Guinea-Bissau, José Ramos-Horta, today met at UNIOGBIS a five-member delegation of European Union's electoral observers, led by Krystof Lisek an EU Member of Parliament from Poland.

Krystof Lisek informed the SRSG that the first part of EU's electoral observers arrived on 19 March in Bissau and 24 others will follow soon. "Overall, along with local observers, the EU will have 55 electoral observers who will be assigned in Bissau and in all regions across the country to monitor and report on 13 April general elections", he said.

SRSG Ramos-Horta welcomed the delegation and assured about the readiness of UNIOGBIS, both in Bissau and at its regional offices, to assist all electoral observers. He informed them of the weekly meetings of international partners to share information and discuss about the electoral process. "The situation in Guinea-Bissau has improved tremendously since my arrival because time has healed many differences among nationals as well as among partners", Ramos-Horta said, underlining that "conditions are being created to have the best elections ever in Guinea-Bissau".

Responding to his interlocutors, the SRSG emphasized that the real challenge will be after elections in terms of state building and peacebuilding towards development. For this to be a reality, he opined that "a wise post-election leader would make every effort to persuade its own party to involve other capable individuals from other parties in the running of the country". In additions, he stated that the economic situation in Guinea-Bissau is very bad and Bissau-Guinean leaders must give confidence to international partners that post-election management of the country will not be "business as usual if they are to expect support from donors".