Delivered by the Deputy Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN Mr. Gert Auväärt
First, I would like to extend my condolences in regards to the attacks in Niamey.
I thank the briefers for their thorough reports on the latest developments and the peacebuilding activities in Guinea-Bissau. I would like to express Estonia’s full support to the work of SRSG Sori-Coulibaly and UNIOGBIS. The COVID-19 pandemic and the continued political and institutional crisis in Guinea-Bissau have put a significant burden on the mission. With this in mind, we commend the mission’s steps towards drawdown as well as the ability to quickly take a more pandemic-sensitive approach in its activities.
At the same time, the developments in Guinea-Bissau have been less than encouraging. The ongoing political impasse and military’s interference in politics are very concerning. ECOWAS’s decisive steps have been very useful and we commend them for it. We further call on ECOWAS to continue on this path of active engagement in helping to solve the institutional crisis.
We also urge Bissau-Guineans themselves to take constructive steps towards finding a peaceful way out from the current political crisis. It is especially important now in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and to avoid any potential destabilisation of the country.
We are extremely concerned about the reports on the increased human rights violations and excessive use of force by the state security forces. The reports about women being beaten up to enforce the lockdown measures are simply appalling. We urge the investigations to be carried out in these cases and the perpetrators held accountable.
We commend the international organisations present in Guinea-Bissau for taking an integrated approach when addressing the humanitarian challenges in the country. Furthermore, it is important to take a holistic and gender-sensitive approach to the peacebuilding activities, which will be especially important after the closure of the UNIOGBIS. The role of Peacebuilding Commission in this regard is essential. It is also a positive development that the Peacebuilding Fund has approved a new project to address the destabilizing effect of drug trafficking and organised crime.
Thank you.