02 September 2013 - The United Nations opened a field office in the northern town of São Domingos, Cacheu Region, on Sunday, 1 September 2013, with a view to enhancing its ability to provide assistance to its national partners at the regional level.

"The development of the field office in Sao Domingos shall endeavour to achieve enhanced UN technical and policy assistance to national partners and civil society by proximity of presence to facilitate their national ownership, actions and commitment," the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Guinea-Bissau, José Ramos-Horta, said in a special message for the occasion.

The message was delivered by Deputy SRSG Gana Fofang at the inauguration ceremony, attended by over 100 persons, including the Governor of Cacheu Region, the Administrator of Sao Domingos, other administrative authorities, representatives of the area's youths, women and communities and UN officials.

"I hope this field office will play a vital role in coordinating UN, national and international human, technical and financial resources for strengthened capacity of and delivery by the local institutions on good governance, human security, political stability so that the national objectives of security, peace and development for all, are achieved in the regions," Ramos Horta said in his message.

Field offices to enhance implementation of mandate São Domingos is one of four field offices that the UN Peace-building Support Office in Guinea-Bissau, UNIOGBIS, is setting up in various parts of the country to enhance the implementation of its mandate. Two pilot offices are already in existence, one in the central town of Mansoa and the other, currently being upgraded, in the eastern town of Bafatá. The other field office will be in Buba, in the south.

The field offices will facilitate collaboration and the exchange of information between the UN, civil society, state institutions and international bodies with the aim of promoting and sustaining public security, human rights standards and gender mainstreaming. They will also monitor, evaluate and report on political, security, socio-economic and human rights situation in the areas under their jurisdiction.

Their mandate further includes building confidence and strengthening local governance at the regional level by providing advice, and giving support in order to improve planning and enhance processes.

Bringing the UN closer to the people

The Governor of Cacheu, Fernando Abna, highlighted the fact that the establishment of the office enabled the UN to be closer to the people, traditional authorities and administrative authorities in the region. He said the UN presence in the region could help to contribute towards improving living conditions, in particular in areas such as child nutrition.

Two members of civil society, one representing the community, and the other, the women of São Domingos, highlighted the challenges facing the area, while expressing their appreciation at the establishment of the office, in welcoming messages they delivered at the inauguration ceremony.

They were not the only ones to show their appreciation at the establishment of the UN office in their town: as the official ceremony ended, a young cultural troupe from the area took the initiative of hailing the new UN presence in São Domingos by performing a series of dances from the area.