YouSaid · the spoken record

Trovoada

lines on the record: 40
first: 2014-11-18
most recent: 2016-02-17
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“The recent acts of armed robbery at the home of a member of the Government and the residence of a United Nations international staff member illustrate the deterioration of the environment security in Guinea-Bissau. As members can see, the political situation in the country is worrisome, and maintaining United Nations commitment remains essential. I therefore reiterate the Secretary-General's request that the Security Council extend the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau, which expires on 29 February, in order to allow the mission to maintain its activities and programmes to consolidate peace and the rule of law in Guinea-Bissau.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“I therefore urge all stakeholders, especially the President of the Republic, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister and the political parties, to stick to the path of dialogue and to consider the possibility of adopting a stability pact in the interests of the nation. As the Secretary-General indicates in his latest report on Guinea-Bissau, the United Nations stands ready to support any initiative to strengthen stability in that country, provided that its leaders demonstrate the political will to commit themselves to that end. Despite the progress made in strengthening domestic security, I remain concerned about the increase in organized crime in the country, due to the current crisis and the concommitent weakening of State institutions.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“For its part, the international community has repeatedly demonstrated its determination to help Guinea-Bissau to continue along the path of development and peace. I encourage it to pursue its activites on behalf of the country in an even more concerted and coordinated manner. If the institutions of the Republic and key stakeholders were to agree on a road map or a stability pact, that could be a starting point for establishing conditions conducive to institutional stability, at least until the end of current legislature. This prerequisite is fundamental to the implementation of the "Terra Ranka" development programme, which was endorsed by international partners at the round table of Brussels, in March 2015, and enjoys significant approval among the people of Guinea-Bissau.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“Moreover, if it were to persist, this institutional stalemate would damage the people's chances of enjoying basic social services such as health care and education, condemning them to continue to pay the price for the failure of their political elite to keep their promises for a future better. I take this opportunity to congratulate the people of Guinea-Bissau on the role constructive they have played during this period difficult by demonstrating restraint and outstanding civic spirit. I therefore reiterate my appeal to the political leaders to put the national interest above all individual or group considerations. It is time for these leaders to focus on seeking sustainable solutions instead of indulging in mutual accusations that do nothing to settle the crisis.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“The more the institutions of the State and the principal political players are divided, the more the ongoing political situation will gain in complexity, thereby delaying the implementation of essential reforms. As the national stakeholders attempt to resolve their differences, and following the recent contradictory decisions of the Regional Court of Bissau, I again urgently appeal to them to attach all due importance and priority to frank and sincere dialogue, in strict compliance with the Constitution and the law. Any other formula outside these parameters will only perpetuate the cycle of political instability that has so long prevailed in the country.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“In the meantime, I went to Senegal and Guinea from 3 to 8 February to talk with the leaders of those two neighbouring States about recent political developments in Guinea-Bissau. During our meeting, President Macky Sall, Acting Chair of ECOWAS, expressed his concern about the current political stalemate and assured me that ECOWAS would continue to support the stabilization process in Guinea-Bissau. He stressed, however, the importance for the subregional organization of receiving financial assistance to maintain its military mission, the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau, beyond 30 June. President Alpha Conde', who is also ECOWAS Mediator for Guinea-Bissau, shared with me the same concerns as his Senegalese counterpart.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“Following the second round of discussions, on 4 February the leader of the PAIGC sent a letter to the President of the Republic, requesting that the format of the meetings be modified and arguing that the dialogue should be conducted among institutions rather than individuals. Consequently, neither the National Assembly nor the PAIGC have participated in subsequent meetings, including that of 10 February, which took place in the presence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Special Envoy of the President of Nigeria, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor- Leste, Mr. Hernani Coelho, who holds the rotating presidency of the CPLP, accompanied by Mr. Murade Murargy, Executive Secretary of that organization, in addition to representatives of the group of five international partners.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“President Vaz shared the correspondence he had received concerning the current crisis, including that in which he had been asked to use his judicial influence to resolve the crisis. Each party presented its position and its underlying political and legal arguments. On 2 February, the President convened a second meeting at which the parties reiterated their respective positions. On the one hand, the National Assembly and the PAIGC maintained that the members had been excluded legally; on the other, the 15 expelled members were supported by the PRS, which considered their exclusion to be illegal.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“In that context, on 1 February the President of the Republic took the initiative of bringing together the different parties to the conflict to seek, through dialogue, a consensus outcome to the current political impasse in Parliament. He decided to invite to the presidential palace the Speaker of the National Assembly and representatives of the PAIGC, the Party for Social Renewal (PRS), the 15 Assembly members whose mandates had been revoked, and representatives of civil society for meetings that took place in the presence of representatives of the group of five international partners of Guinea-Bissau: the African Union, the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the European Union and the United Nations.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“To that end, the Permanent Commission met on 15 January 2016 and declared the revocation of the terms of office the 15 members. Today, these political differences, which had been confined to Parliament, have unleashed a true political and legal imbroglio. The Speaker of the National Assembly, on the one hand, and 3 of the 15 expelled members, on the other, have separately petitioned the Regional Court of Bissau to adjudicate the decision of the Permanent Commission to revoke the mandates of the aforementioned members of Parliament. On 8 February, the Court issued an interim order invalidating the suspension of the mandate revocation, contrary to its original decision, which ordered those same members to comply with the decision of the Permanent Commission of the National Assembly.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“I would like to thank you, Sir, for this opportunity to present to the Security Council the report of the Secretary-General on developments in Guinea-Bissau and the activities of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (S/2016/14l). Since the publication of the report, the situation in Guinea-Bissau has continued to be characterized by ongoing differences within the political class. Those differences were in evidence during the vote on the Government's programme on 23 December 2015, during which 15 members of the ruling African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde (PAIGC) abstained, despite instructions from the party. In response, the PAIGC decided to expel them and called for their replacement in the National Assembly.”
2016-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7624 (2016) · source
“But it is clear that, in a scenario of repeated crises without peace or lasting stability, support from the international community has not been able to find fertile ground so that its efforts can fully achieve the desired objectives. I am convinced that the leaders of Guinea-Bissau, in whom the people have placed their hope and trust, are well aware of that fact and that, in an outpouring of patriotism and sense of responsibility to history, they will do everything within their reach not to jeopardize the great opportunity they have before them to transform their country and significantly improve the living conditions of their people.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“Thirdly, during a meeting I had with the Chief of the General Staff, including the commanders of the three branches of the armed forces, the military strongly affirmed that it was determined to remain completely outside the political scene and observe a republican attitude of submission to civil authority and obedience to the Constitution and the democratic institutions of the State. The international community, which has always supported Guinea-Bissau in the course of the various hardships that the country has faced, remains open to backing it in its march towards development and progress, as was recently demonstrated again at the Brussels round table.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“Before concluding, I would like to make three observations about the political situation in Guinea- Bissau. First, the political parties and all those who have a role to play in resolving this crisis are proclaiming their firm determination to democratically defend their rights and their legitimacy in the context of strict respect for the Constitution and the law. Secondly, the demonstrations that have taken place so far have been peaceful, orderly and without any clashes or Violence.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“I also wish to commend the positions of solidarity with the people of Guinea-Bissau expressed by the African Union, the European Union, the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries and the Peacebuilding Commission and its country-specific configuration for Guinea-Bissau, the presence of whose Chair, Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, I welcome, as well as the many other organizations and friendly countries that voiced concern about the current crisis and expressed their hope that Guinea-Bissau would rise to the stability challenge and continue without upheavals on the path towards economic development and progress. The Council has also closely followed the situation through briefings, after which it has made public statements in support of dialogue and consultation.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“It is worth noting here the efforts made personally by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and by the President Macky Sall of Senegal and President Alpha Conde of Guinea, in their respective capacities as Chair of the Economic Community of West African States and that organization's mediator for Guinea-Bissau.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“Given the unfolding of current events, these contacts have been intensified in order to urge the parties concerned to favour dialogue as the most reliable tool to achieve a lasting solution to the conflict among them. I am pleased to note that representatives of the international community in Guinea-Bissau, both bilaterally and multilaterally, were mobilized and engaged in the same direction, making their voices heard in unison and calling for dialogue and an agreement in order to safeguard political stability and peace, so that the achievements of the return to democratic order and constitutional normality would not be called into question.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“Recently, the statements made in public by the State's highest officials gave rise to an impression that there was a climate of political tension that might lead to institutional failure if they did not seek to overcome their disagreements through dialogue. The absence of this essential dialogue left the way open to the heightening of mutual distrust and the deepening of antagonisms, ensuring that the country would arrive at the point where it is today. In the exercise of the good offices mission of the Secretary-General that I lead locally in Guinea-Bissau in his name and as his representative, I maintain frequent contacts with Government entities at the highest levels and with the political class and the different components of civil society.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“It therefore seemed that, a priori, the main conditions had been met to ensure a framework for political stability that was favourable to the proper functioning of the State. Upon the initiative of the Government, and with the support of the United Nations Development Programme and the European Union, a round table of Guinea-Bissau's cooperation partners was held in Brussels last March, the results of which have opened for the country the prospect of obtaining significant financial resources for the realization of its Strategic and Operational Plan 2015- 2020. In previous reports to the Security Council on Guinea-Bissau, it was always emphasized that stability in the country remained fragile because the underlying causes of the recurrent instability that undermined it had not been eradicated.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“This is an unexpected situation, since the main institutions of the State, formed after the general elections of April and May 2014, are all from the same political family, the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cabo Verde. The party, whose statute states that, if the party wins the election, its leader will be the candidate for Prime Minister, now enjoys an absolute majority in Parliament. Moreover, the party chose among its leaders and presented as presidential candidate the current President of the country. The dismissed Government was inclusive, including almost all political parties represented in the People's National Assembly, which guaranteed that it had a comfortable base of parliamentary support.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“Baciro Dja, former Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the dismissed Government, was appointed Prime Minister by a presidential decree and was sworn in by the President on the same day. Before removing the Prime Minister, President Vaz sent a message to the nation in which he set forth his observations about the state of the country, the action of the executive power, the relations among the country's institutions, in general, and between himself and the Head of Government, in particular, and on the factors giving rise to a serious political crisis that, under the Constitution, could lead to the fall of the Government.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, for the opportunity afforded me to present to the Security Council the most recent report (8/2015/626) of the Secretary-General on the situation in Guinea Bissau and on the activities of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea- Bissau (UNOGBIS). His Excellency the President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, Mr. Jose Mario Vaz, who had planned to speak at this Council meeting, decided to resign owing to the recent political events in his country. Just a little over a year after the restoration of the constitutional order, Guinea-Bissau is again experiencing political turbulence, following the President's dismissal of the Government of Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, on 12 August. On August 20, Mr.”
2015-08-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7514 (2015) · source
“In this context, the commitment of the Security Council and the international community as a whole to that country has never been more necessary, important and urgent in ensuring that the achievements won to date are consolidated and the excesses of the past are forever consigned to history.”
2015-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7376 (2015) · source
“In this perspective, the philosophy that must inspire the strategy of partnership between the country and the international community in the context of development assistance must seek to create, both for the people of Guinea-Bissau and for their partners, conditions that will allow Guinea-Bissau to do without international assistance. The United Nations is striving for that objective by taking initiatives and promoting actions to arrive at the point at which the country will no longer need either a political mission or a foreign military force on its soil. The challenges are vast, numerous and complex, but they are not insurmountable. The consolidation of peace and stability in Guinea-Bissau, a prerequisite for development, requires joint efforts, patience and perseverance.”
2015-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7376 (2015) · source
“In that respect, special attention must be paid to deepening the partnership with ECOWAS, the African Union, the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries and the European Union, given the regional, continental, international and cultural dimensions of the issue of development in Guinea-Bissau. Let me stress a third aspect by reaffirming that Guinea-Bissau needs ECOMIB and that ECOMIB needs the support of the international community and in particular the Security Council. The deployment of a regional force is an exceptional measure taken by ECOWAS, whose primary task as a regional economic community is to promote the socioeconomic development of its member States with a view to short-, medium- and long-term integration. It is clear that the assistance provided by the international community to Guinea-Bissau cannot last forever.”
2015-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7376 (2015) · source
“Accordingly, the Secretary-General recommends the strengthening of the good offices of his Special Representative in order to contribute to the promotion of an environment of peace and stability while encouraging dialogue towards national reconciliation. Trust among the political leaders of the country remains unquestionably an essential element of stability. Similarly, UNIOGBIS should continue to promote the strengthening of cooperation between Guinea- Bissau and its international partners by providing a coordinated response to the country's reform efforts.”
2015-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7376 (2015) · source
“The priorities announced by the Government to the strategic assessment mission show that the return to constitutional order, as positive as it has been, has not yet made it possible to address the root causes of instability in Guinea-Bissau. This means that the socio-political environment is characterized by a climate in which hope for a future free of uncertainty coexists with a sense ofstability that remains precarious. Guinea-Bissau continues to need support, including in strengthening democratic institutions, restructuring the defence and security sector, strengthening the judicial system, improving the functioning of the public administration, and increasing its capacity to fight impunity and transnational crime, among others.”
2015-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7376 (2015) · source
“Despite these efforts, the situation remains fragile because, as the Secretary-General often says, there can be no lasting peace without development and no development without lasting peace. It is certain that there Will be neither one nor the other without the primacy of the rule of law and respect for human rights. In this regard, the United Nations system in Guinea- Bissau welcomes the adoption by the Government of an integrated approach ensuring the complementarity of efforts towards poverty eradication and economic development with good governance, thereby creating the potential for the promotion of social progress.”
2015-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7376 (2015) · source
“In accordance with its programme for the next four years, unanimously approved by the National Assembly, the Government has defined a strategy and priorities for the Brussels round table, which is of special importance to UNIOGBIS. As for the first goal - the consolidation of the rule of law, promoting good governance and reform of State institutions - there has been encouraging progress in strategic planning and the drafting of legislation, particularly in the fields of defence, security and justice. With a View to strengthening national unity, the National Assembly has reactivated the commission to promote national dialogue and established the structures necessary to do so.”
2015-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7376 (2015) · source
“Also in January, the Human Rights Council undertook the second universal periodic review of Guinea-Bissau. It made recommendations, particularly in terms of strengthening the protection of human rights and the fight against impunity and human rights violations committed in the past. It also recommended the country's accession to a number of legal instruments and the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. On the social front, the Government has been able to continue providing basic services to the population and to ensure an acceptable level of prevention against the Ebola outbreak. Overall, the actions and decisions taken indicate that neither the desire for change nor the support of partners has wavered. Let me draw the Council's attention to the direction in which the Government intends to move.”
2015-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7376 (2015) · source
“Regarding the reform of the defence and security forces, the incumbent Minister of that sector has introduced new amendments to the legislation on the creation of the special pension fund. She has also presented the Prime Minister with a list of personnel eligible for demobilization and retirement, which is being analysed. In January, the Minister of Justice led the review and validation of the proposed programme of reform of the judiciary. The validated document will incorporate all the proposals to be submitted by the Government to the round table of international partners, scheduled for 25 March in Brussels. That will be another important step towards the establishment of an accessible, transparent and credible system of justice in Guinea- Bissau.”
2015-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7376 (2015) · source
“I thank the Council for the opportunity to present the report of the Secretary-General (8/2015/37) on recent developments in Guinea-Bissau and the activities of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea- Bissau (UNIOGBIS). Since the most recent update of the Secretary- General to the Council (8/2014/805), some noteworthy developments have been observed, including the holding of a summit of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Abuja, on 15 December 2014, where it was decided that the mandate of the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB) would be extended in its current configuration for six months, which could be renewed.”
2015-02-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7376 (2015) · source
“The mission has completed its work and is finalizing its report. Its findings will be included in the next report of the Secretary-General on UNIOGBIS, which will be published in January 2015.”
2014-11-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7315 (2014) · source
“The retreat defined a vision for economic recovery based on the agro-food industry and investment in the areas of energy, infrastructure and capitalizing of the wealth of biodiversity. The latest Human Development Report ranks Guinea-Bissau's at 177 out of 187 countries. We hope and believe that the country will be able to attain better results on the Human Development Index next year. The will to do so is clear and the resources are being mobilized. Following the request of the Security Council in resolution 2157 (2014), the Secretary-General deployed a strategic assessment mission in Guinea-Bissau from 3 to 14 November. The objective of the mission was to review the mandate of UNIOGBIS and make recommendations to align its activities with national priorities identified by the Government.”
2014-11-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7315 (2014) · source
“It is important to ensure that the progress achieved so far be consolidated, and not eroded by corruption, the use of the country as a transit point for drug trafficking or a base for organized crime, or by lack of respect for the rule of law and human rights. The judicial system must be strong enough to avoid any major breakdown in law and order. In other words, impunity cannot be eradicated until those who interpret and apply the law have the freedom to act without constraints and the necessary tools to enforce judicial decisions. On 17 and 18 October, the Government held a retreat in preparation for the donor round table to be held in early 2015. Its findings were very encouraging.”
2014-11-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7315 (2014) · source
“In that context, the authorities identified stability, the strengthening of the rule of law and of public institutions, good governance, justice and development as overarching priorities. The process of transformation and democratization under way in Guinea-Bissau is on the right track, but there is still a long way to go and the resources at the country's disposal are extremely limited and, at times, unpredictable. It is therefore not the time to withdraw; on the contrary, the international community must remain mobilized in solidarity alongside the people of Guinea-Bissau in support of their efforts to build peace, stability, justice and a better future for their children.”
2014-11-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7315 (2014) · source
“The infrastructure required for the development of agriculture and the exploitation of natural resources are almost non-existent. The same goes for the areas of health care, education, water, electricity, transportation and communications, to name just a few. Faced with these many challenges, the authorities spare no effort in seeking to meet the needs of the population. They are working hard to find ways to ensure the regular payment of salaries and arrears, to implement preventative measures against Ebola and to improve the delivery of basic services. As Council members will be aware, the Government developed, and presented in September, a programme setting out its priorities for the short, medium and long terms.”
2014-11-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7315 (2014) · source
“It is the need for reform, in particular in the areas of defence and security, justice and public administration. Given the sensitivity and importance of the issues at stake, such reforms will require commitment at the national level and concerted action to achieve consensus. With regard the specific case of defence and security, the change at the head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces was just the first step. Reform must be a comprehensive, inclusive, pragmatic and integrated in order to achieve a solution that is technically feasible, economically viable and politically acceptable to all stakeholders. Guinea-Bissau is a country where inequalities persist between the various layers of society, in which a handful ofpeople have a lot and the vast majority of the population does not have enough.”
2014-11-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7315 (2014) · source
“With the support of the international community, regional and subregional organizations and partners, the country is striving to continue its transition from a state of fragility to one of peace and stability. In that context, I must emphasize the important role played by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), especially the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau, as well as that of the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries. Today, Guinea-Bissau has reached a critical stage in its evolution. The country cannot afford the luxury of the status quo, at the risk of losing its significant democratic gains and slipping backwards. There is apoint on which all stakeholders - including the authorities, the political class and the population of Guinea-Bissau as a whole - seem to agree.”
2014-11-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7315 (2014) · source
“I have the honour and privilege to address the Security Council as Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS). My statement follows the letter of the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council on 11 November 2014 (S/2014/805) on the latest political and security developments in the country since his last report (S/2014/603), in August. Constitutional order has been fully restored in Guinea-Bissau. Its principal institutions are once again legitimate and representative. Moreover, an inclusive Government incorporating all of the political persuasions represented in Parliament has been formed.”
2014-11-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7315 (2014) · source