posted on THU 17 MAY 2012 5:37 PM
Negotiations on a Guinea-Bissau Sanctions ResolutionNegotiations on a draft resolution on Guinea-Bissau introduced by Portugal on Monday (14 April) continued today but it appears that some issues of contention remain. The draft seeks to impose targeted sanctions on leaders of the Military Command which seized power in Guinea-Bissau on 12 April. Discussions continued today between Angola, Morocco, Portugal, South Africa, and Togo in an attempt to try and resolve differences, but at press time it was unclear if they had reached a point where the draft resolution could be tabled for adoption before Council members leave for their mission to West Africa tomorrow evening.
It seems the draft resolution seeks both an assets freeze and a travel ban on members of the military. It appears that some members may not be keen to impose a full assets freeze at this point. In addition, the draft resolution is said to set up a sanctions committee, empowering it to review the measures in the resolution and to determine, on a case-by-case basis, when the measures could be suspended or lifted.
The key sticking point appears to be how to refer to the government which was toppled in the military coup. It seems that some African Council members, in line with the position of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), object to language that suggests that the former government were the “legitimate authorities” and that they should be reinstated. ECOWAS, which has been mediating the post-coup crisis in Guinea-Bissau and has already imposed sanctions on the Military Command, has taken a strong stand on this issue and it appears that Council members who are also in ECOWAS are finding it difficult to back down on this. (As part of its mediation, ECOWAS has also held several meetings with the Military Command and has just sent in several hundred Nigerian troops to replace the Angolan MISSANG force which had been assisting Guinea-Bissau’s security sector reform programme.)
Another point that may still be under discussion is whether a Special Envoy is needed to harmonise the different positions of bilateral and multilateral players on this issue and develop a comprehensive strategy.
In the last week the Council has continued to follow the situation in Guinea-Bissau closely. On 11 May, Said Djinnit, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Office for West Africa (UNOWA), briefed Council members on Guinea-Bissau and Mali. During the briefing Djinnit voiced alarm at the resurgence of coups and unconstitutional seizures of power in West Africa.
On 8 May, Council members agreed on a press statement (SC/10640) condemning the Guinea-Bissau coup following a 7 May briefing by Joseph Mutaboba, head of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), and the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission configuration for Guinea-Bissau, Ambassador Maria Luiza Viotti (Brazil), and an interactive discussion with Foreign Ministers of Guinea-Bissau and Angola and the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security.
The press statement expressed “deep concern at reports of looting, and human rights violations, including arbitrary detentions, ill-treatment during detention and violent repression of peaceful demonstrations” under the rule of the Military Command. It affirmed that those responsible for such violations must be held accountable and expressed “deep concern at a possible increase in drug trafficking as a result of current instability.” In the statement, Council members called on ECOWAS to pursue its efforts to implement its zero-tolerance policy against the “unconstitutional takeover of power”, in coordination with the UN, the AU and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries, and enable the restoration of the constitutional order.
Council members leave tomorrow night for a visit to West Africa which will include a stop in Abidjan where they will have a high-level meeting with ECOWAS. It is possible that some Council members may prefer to wait until after this meeting to adopt any draft resolution on Guinea-Bissau. There may also be interest from some members in the outcome of the ECOWAS Foreign and Defence Ministers meeting on Saturday (19 May) where the political and security situation in both Guinea-Bissau and Mali will be discussed.
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posted on THU 17 MAY 2012 4:40 PM
Arria Meeting with Gender AdvisersOn Friday morning (18 May), Council members are set to meet with gender advisers from UN peacekeeping missions in a closed Arria format session. It is likely that a representative from DPKO will introduce the work of gender advisers involved in implementing resolution 1325 (2000) on women’s participation in peace negotiations and post-conflict reconstruction. Gender advisers from UNAMA in Afghanistan, MINUSTAH in Haiti and UNOCI in C ôte d’Ivoire will discuss the achievements and challenges in implementing the women, peace… Read more »
posted on THU 17 MAY 2012 1:36 PM
Consultations on Visiting Mission to West AfricaThis afternoon (Thursday, 17 May), Council members will have consultations on their forthcoming Council mission to West Africa from 19 to 23 May where they will be visiting Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone. It is likely that they will finalise the terms of reference and the programme for the visit during the meeting. As was done with the Council’s visit to Africa last year, there will be two co-leads for each country: the US and Morocco for the Liberia… Read more »
posted on WED 16 MAY 2012 6:04 PM
Renewal of the Mandate of UN Interim Force in AbyeiThe Council is scheduled to adopt a resolution renewing the mandate of UNISFA tomorrow (17 May). A first draft of the resolution was circulated to Council members late on Monday (14 May), with expert level negotiations taking place yesterday, following which a revised draft was put under silence. Apparently bilateral discussions were held today to iron out final issues and the draft was put in blue late this afternoon.… Read more »
posted on WED 16 MAY 2012 5:12 PM
OCHA Briefing in Consultations on AfghanistanTomorrow (17 May), the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Valerie Amos, is set to brief the Council in consultations on her recent trip to Afghanistan. It is likely that Jan Kubis, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), who is in New York on his way to the NATO Summit in Chicago, will be present as well - although he will not be briefing. It also seems that Amos may… Read more »
posted on TUE 15 MAY 2012 4:28 PM
Consultations on Sudan and South SudanThe Council is scheduled to hold consultations tomorrow morning (16 May) on Sudan and South Sudan. It seems likely, although not yet confirmed, that Haile Menkerios, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Sudan and South Sudan, will brief via videoconference. (These consultations are in accordance with resolution 2046, adopted on 2 May, which requested the Secretary-General to keep the Council informed on compliance with the resolution within 15 days and then at two week intervals.)… Read more »
posted on TUE 15 MAY 2012 4:00 PM
ICC Prosecutor to Brief on LibyaTomorrow (Wednesday, 16 May), the Council will receive its third briefing on Libya from the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo. Moreno-Ocampo is expected to update the Council on recent activities of the Office of the Prosecutor on the situation in Libya, particularly regarding Saif al-Islam Qaddafi, who was arrested on 19 November. As with the two previous Libya ICC briefings, on 4 May and 2 November last year, no Council outcome is anticipated.… Read more »
posted on MON 14 MAY 2012 4:45 PM
Somalia Briefing and ConsultationsTomorrow morning (Tuesday, 15 May), the Council is scheduled to be briefed by Special Representative Augustine Mahiga on the Secretary-General’s report of 1 May on Somalia (S/2012/283). Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has also been invited to address the Council. Mahiga’s briefing is expected to focus on political issues, in particular the ongoing constitutional process and recent controversies over the draft constitution, which is a key part of the implementation of the roadmap for ending the transition in Somalia.… Read more »
posted on MON 14 MAY 2012 3:55 PM
Debate on Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Council will hold its biannual debate on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) tomorrow afternoon (Tuesday, 15 May). The High Representative for the country, Valentin Inzko, will present his most recent report (S/2012/307) on the implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement. The head of the EU delegation is set to address the Council, as will representatives from regional states, including Bosnia and Herzegovina itself. The Council is not preparing to take any action following the briefing. (It does not need… Read more »
posted on SUN 13 MAY 2012 5:48 PM
Kosovo DebateThe Council will hold a debate on Kosovo on Monday afternoon (14 May) with Farid Zarif, head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), scheduled to brief on the Secretary-General’s latest report. The report of 27 April (S/2012/275) highlights some of the positive political developments in the region in recent months, but was written against the backdrop of increasing tensions ahead of the much-disputed conduct of Serbian elections in Kosovo, which took place on 6 May. During Monday’s… Read more »