Source: United Nations - Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General |

Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Guinea-Bissau

He urges the Bissau-Guinean political stakeholders to demonstrate goodwill and a spirit of compromise to take advantage of the Conakry Accord of 10 September 2016 as an important first step in the implementation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Roadmap

The Secretary-General encourages ECOWAS to continue to support the efforts of the Bissau-Guinean leaders towards this end

NEW YORK, United States of America, December 16, 2016/APO/ --

The Secretary-General is following developments regarding the formation of a new Government in Guinea-Bissau closely, notably the decisions taken by President José Mário Vaz in this regard on 12 December 2016 and the statement by the Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC) of 13 December 2016, distancing itself from the new Cabinet. He urges the Bissau-Guinean political stakeholders to demonstrate goodwill and a spirit of compromise to take advantage of the Conakry Accord of 10 September 2016 as an important first step in the implementation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Roadmap aimed at ending the political impasse and restoring institutional viability in Guinea Bissau.

The Secretary-General encourages ECOWAS to continue to support the efforts of the Bissau-Guinean leaders towards this end. He is looking forward to the pertinent decisions of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government at their Summit on 17 December 2016 in Abuja to facilitate full implementation of the Conakry Agreement.

His Special Representative in Guinea-Bissau and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau, Mr. Modibo I. Touré will continue working closely with all the stakeholders in Guinea-Bissau, in close collaboration with ECOWAS, the African Union and other key partners towards a definitive solution to the institutional crisis. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations - Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.