22 March 2011 - The Special-Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNIOGBIS, Joseph Mutaboba, today met with the Angolan Secretary of State for External Relations, Manuel Augusto.

The discussions focused the situation in Guinea-Bissau including key challenges such as the Security Sector Reform; as well as the strengthening of partnerships and coordination to enhance efforts being deployed towards stabilization in Guinea-Bisssau.

Mr. Augusto is in Bissau as part of an important delegation headed by the Angolan minister of Defence which took part, on Monday, at the launch of the Angola SSR technical support mission in Guinea-Bissau (MISSANG). The mission was set up to provide support to the implementation of reforms within Bissau-Guinean defence and police forces, namely rehabilitation of military and police infrastructures and training.

In his latest report on Guinea-Bissau, the Secretary-General welcomed "the initial steps taken by bilateral partners, in particular Angola, to help Guinea-Bissau restructure its armed forces and to contribute to the rehabilitation of military and police installations".