The United Nations has said it is ready to take necessary measures to respond to the protracted political and institutional crisis in Guinea Bissau should the situation deteriorate further.
“The members of the Security Council reiterated their commitment to continue to monitor the current political crisis and expressed their readiness to take necessary measures to respond to further worsening of the situation in Guinea Bissau,” said a statement issued by the 15-member body after a Friday closed-door briefing on the situation.
In the statement, the Council reaffirmed that the Conakry Agreement of 14 October 2016, which was brokered by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is a primary framework for resolving the political crisis.
It called upon the Bissau-Guinean stakeholders to comply with the accord and the ECOWAS road-map in addressing their differences and the country’s challenges.
Regarding the planned withdrawal of the regional body’s 500-strong force that has been deployed to the country since the April 2012 coup, the Council urged the international community to give all necessary support to ensure a complete and seamless transition of security architecture to the national defence and security forces.
The Council also expressed concern about the situation of the civilian population in the country, and urged all political actors to put the interest of the people of Guinea Bissau above all other considerations.
The Council welcomed the active engagement of the UN Peace-building Commission with relevant stakeholders on the ground as well as with regional organizations to support efforts towards a political solution
