26 February 2013 - The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Guinea-Bissau, José Ramos-Horta, was received on Monday, 25 February 2013, by President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria at the Presidential Palace in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.

Mr. Ramos-Horta expressed his intention to work closely with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in partnership with other international organisations such as the African Union, Community of Portuguese-Language Countries and European Union, with a view to helping Guinea-Bissau to achieve lasting peace.

President Jonathan invited the Special Representative to go with him to ECOWAS' 42nd Ordinary Summit, to be held on 27-28 February in Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire, in order to brief the West African heads of state on his ideas with regard to the way forward in Guinea-Bissau.

Mr. Ramos-Horta, a Nobel Peace laureate and former President of Timor-Leste, arrived in Bissau on 13 February 2013 to take up his post as special representative.

Since then, he has had discussions with a wide range of actors and stakeholders, including Guinea-Bissau's transitional president, prime minister and other ministers, the heads of the military, representatives of political parties, religious leaders, civil society groups, students and academics, as well as representatives of the country's international partners.