A UN Strategic Assessment Mission to Guinea-Bissau

3 Nov 2014

A UN Strategic Assessment Mission to Guinea-Bissau

3 November 2014 - A United Nations Strategic Assessment Mission (SAM) is in the country for a two-week task to conduct a comprehensive review of the mandate of UNIOGBIS.

The eleven-man delegation led by Christopher Coleman, Deputy Director of the Africa II Division at the Department of Political Affairs arrived in Bissau over the weekend.

After a meeting today with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Guinea-Bissau, Miguel Trovoada and Mário Lopes da Rosa, Bissau-Guinean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christopher Coleman, speaking to the press said: "I'm leading a team from the United Nations which at the request of the United Nations Security Council will prepare recommendations on how the UN in Guinea-Bissau shall adjust its efforts to take into account legitimate democratic government and ensure that our work is in accordance with the priorities of that government".

On how does the UN evaluate the situation of the country after elections, the Head of the SAM said: "There is an enormous sense of hopefulness with regard to the future of Guinea-Bissau. We view this as a moment of opportunity for the international community to engage first and foremost with Guinea-Bissau, the legitimate democratic government and then to mobilize international support to ensure that this project of consolidation of democracy and peace is a success".

Until next 13 November, the SAM will meet a wide range of interlocutors, including national authorities, the judiciary, the UN system in the country, international partners, youth, women organizations, civil society and the media.