Security Council members voice concern at recent events in Guinea-Bissau

Members of the Security Council today voiced their concern at recent developments in Guinea-Bissau and called on all Government institutions "to engage in dialogue, to respect the Constitution, and to promote national reconciliation in order to find a way out of the current difficulties."

In a statement to the press, current Council President Ambassador Richard Ryan of Ireland said members of the 15-nation body welcomed the Government's efforts to address the country's economic and social problems. They also took note of the recent memorandum from the Government and encouraged the further implementation of the programme of demobilization, reinsertion and reintegration.

The members of the Council also called for an integrated and coordinated approach by United Nations funds, programmes and agencies - including the Bretton Woods institutions - as well as bilateral donors to help Guinea-Bissau create an income-generating capacity, Ambassador Ryan said. They acknowledged the need for strengthened dialogue with those bodies operating in and around the country in order to enhance coordination.

Earlier Monday, Assistant Secretary-General Hédi Annabi of the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations gave a briefing on the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE). The Council also considered its annual report to the UN General Assembly and agreed to work on ways to further improve it, Ambassador Ryan said.