PEACEBUILDING COMMISSION TO CONTINUE WORK ON STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR GUINEA-BISSAU, REPORT TO SECURITY COUNCIL

Peacebuilding Commission

Guinea-Bissau configuration

3rd Meeting (AM)

In a brief meeting today, the Guinea-Bissau configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission agreed to continue consideration of its report to the Security Council, as well as continue work on the strategic framework for peacebuilding in the West African country.

The Peacebuilding Commission is a 31-member advisory body created in 2005 to help countries avoid sliding back into conflict in the period of emerging from it.  Guinea-Bissau is the third country to come under its purview, after Burundi and Sierra Leone, which had been earlier chosen to receive intensive international support.

Guinea-Bissau has faced serious challenges after years of sporadic civil conflicts and military uprisings, which, by the late 1990s, had left it politically polarized and poverty stricken.  The first multi-party elections after its independence in the late 1970s had been held in 1994, but an army uprising in 1998 led to the President’s ouster, and war had followed.  Elections had again been held in 2000, but by 2003, a military coup had removed the President.  After being delayed several times, legislative elections had been held in March 2004 and a subsequent uprising of military factions in 2004 had resulted in widespread unrest.

In 2005, new presidential elections had been held and, after a contested run-off, had been won by the current President.  As stated by Prime Minister Martinho N’Dafa Cabi when he addressed the Peacebuilding Commission on 20 February, after an “extremely tumultuous” political past, the key challenges for Guinea-Bissau in the period ahead would be security sector reform, combating corruption and restoring fiscal discipline, rebuilding public administration and improving the climate for private investment.  (See Press Release PBC/29.)

The Commission will meet again at a time and date to be announced.

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