Global perspective Human stories

Security Council urges Guinea-Bissau's candidates to accept court ruling

Security Council urges Guinea-Bissau's candidates to accept court ruling

Council President Amb. Kenzo Oshima
With a Supreme Court of Justice ruling due to be handed down deciding the outcome of Guinea-Bissau's presidential elections, the United Nations Security Council today commended the country for holding successful elections and urged the candidates to accept the Court's decision.

In a statement, the Council President for August, Ambassador Kenzo Oshima of Japan, said, “The Security Council acknowledges with satisfaction the successful holding of the presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau and the announcement by the National Electoral Commission of the final results of the ballot. This marks an important step towards the restoration of constitutional order.”

The Council also took note of the appeal filed with the Court by one of the presidential contenders and strongly encouraged all parties to honour their commitments, accept the Court's final ruling and refrain from any actions that could jeopardize efforts to restore peace and stability in the country.

“The Security Council pays tribute to Guinea-Bissau's partners and neighbours, which provided indispensable support for the holding of the elections. The Security Council also congratulates international observers on the essential role they played throughout the country and welcomes their statement recognizing the presidential elections as free, fair and transparent,” it said.

Considering the challenges still facing Guinea-Bissau, the Council asked relevant national and international parties to reaffirm their commitment to peace and democracy in the country. It called on Guinea-Bissau's bilateral development partners, international financial institutions (IFIs) and UN agencies to increase their support for economic and social development and the consolidation of national institutions.

The latest report from Secretary-General Kofi Annan said the recent tensions that became obvious during the preparations for the 19 June elections showed that peace and stability were still fragile and required the continued engagement of all key national and international parties.

The reform of the security and public administration sectors in Guinea-Bissa was in a necessary condition for promoting sustainable peace and stability and, in this regard, the country needed staff retraining and social safety nets, he said.