UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Friday decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS) until Dec. 31 as it continues its phased drawdown, and to review in six months' time the sanctions regime it imposed in 2012.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2512, the council requested that UNIOGBIS continue to focus on the transition plan for its gradual drawdown and transfer of tasks to the United Nations country team, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and other regional and international partners by the end of 2020.
Concerning the political process in Guinea-Bissau, the council called upon the government to implement urgent reforms, particularly to the constitution, the electoral law, the framework law on political parties and the defence, security and judicial sectors.
It also called upon the government to develop an updated development strategy, and upon all political stakeholders to refrain from actions and statements that could escalate tensions.
The council decided to review, six months from now, the sanctions measures it established under resolution 2048, and to consider appropriate concrete measures, including, but not limited to, the continuation, adjustment or suspension of sanctions.
The tiny West African country has been plagued by chronic political instability since independence in 1974. The UNIOGBIS was established in 2010 to replace a previous UN peacebuilding support office in Guniea-Bissau.
