Summary: July 18, 2005: EU Presidency Statement on The ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea Bissau, by The Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the United Nations, on behalf of the European Union, ECOSOC: Agenda item 7 (h) - Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on African Countries Emerging from Conflict (New York)
Mr President, it is my pleasure to give this statement on behalf of the European Union. The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey and Croatia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this declaration.
Mr President, the EU would like to thank the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Guinea-Bissau for its comprehensive and helpful report.
The EU welcomes the peaceful and orderly conduct of the first round of Presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau in June 2005. However, the EU remains concerned by the situation in the country. Over the past year, there have been a number of serious political and security disturbances, including the military crisis of October 2004. It is clear that Guinea-Bissau will continue to require sustained attention from the UN and the international community in order successfully to complete the process
of transition.
Mr President, turning now to the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Group, it is clear that security sector reform should be a major priority for the Government of Guinea-Bissau and for the international community. Without SSR, the tensions within the military will contribute to political instability and uncertainty. In this regard, the EU welcomes any support provided for SSR, such as the contribution already made by Brazil, as noted in the Secretary General's report of 10 June.
In addition, the EU recognises the difficulties of uncertain donor financing for the delivery of basic services. Although the economic conditions remain critical, it should be noted that the Government has continued to make further improvements in fiscal management. The EU welcomes the contributions in budget support to Guinea-Bissau through the UNDP-managed Economic Emergency Management Fund, by France, Italy Netherlands, Portugal on behalf of the community of Portuguese speaking countries
(CPLP) and Sweden. The European Commission is currently preparing a direct budget support contribution to be disbursed before the end of this year.
On the Group's proposed activities for the coming year, while the EU recognises that these activities could be useful, we encourage the Ad Hoc Group to focus not only on advocacy, but to review the co-ordination aspects of the programme of support to Guinea Bissau and to work in close partnership with other parts of the UN system in doing so. The EU believes that it will be particularly important for the Ad Hoc Group to continue to work closely with the UN country team, UNOGBIS, the Bretton
Woods Institutions, donors and relevant regional organisations over the coming year.
Mr President, the EU believes that the Ad Hoc Group's mandate should be extended until the ECOSOC substantive session in July 2006, however, the renewal of its mandate should also be re-evaluated in the light of developments on the Peacebuilding Commission.
Finally, the EU would like to note that the experience of the Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on Countries Emerging from Conflict could be taken into account in the broader context of ongoing discussions within the UN on the establishment of a Peacebuilding Commission.
* Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
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