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Head Of United Nations Guinea-Bissau Office Calls On International Community To Provide Much-Needed Support For Country's 28 June Presidential Election; Says Preparations on Track, But Fragile Security Means Setting Not Ideal; Chair of Peacebuilding Commission's Guinea-Bissau Configuration Also Briefs.

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M2 PRESSWIRE-24 June 2009-United Nations: Head Of United Nations Guinea-Bissau Office Calls On International Community To Provide Much-Needed Support For Country's 28 June Presidential Election; Says Preparations on Track, But Fragile Security Means Setting Not Ideal; Chair of Peacebuilding Commission's Guinea-Bissau Configuration Also Briefs(C)1994-2009 M2 COMMUNICATIONS

RDATE:23062009

Security Council, 6149 th Meeting (AM)

With presidential elections in Guinea-Bissau less than a week away, the top United Nations envoy there, concerned that the people of the poverty-stricken West African nation were gripped by paranoia and the Government was paralysed following a wave of recent political assassinations, today appealed to the Security Council and the international community to provide much-needed support for the ballot, as well as for much-needed institutional and governance reforms.

As he briefed the Council, Joseph Mutaboba, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Peace-building Support Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS), said the there had been four major violent incidents or alleged coup attempts since 2008. The general security situation was fragile and insecurity was palpable among the elite, as well as the general population, he continued, warning: This is not an ideal setting for peaceful elections.

Also briefing the Council, and echoing many of Mr. Mutaboba's concerns, was Luiza Ribeiro Viotti (Brazil), Chair of the Guinea-Bissau configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission. She stressed that every effort must be made to ensure that the 28 June elections were free, fair and transparent. If properly conducted, the vote might pave the way for a true dialogue among the main political...