MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
10.3.2009
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Pasqualina Napoletano, Ana Maria Gomes, Emilio Menéndez del Valle
on behalf of the PSE Group
on the situation in Guinea-Bissau
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0115/2009
B6‑0116/2009
European Parliament resolution on the situation in Guinea-Bissau
The European Parliament,
- having regard to the statement of Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the CFSP on 2 March 2009,
- having regard to the statement of the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 2 March 2009,
- having regard to the EU Presidency Statement on the events in placeplaceGuinea-Bissau on March 2, 2009,
- having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the President Joao Bernardo Vieira of Guinea Bissau was assassinated on 2 March following the violent death of the army chief of staff, General Batista Tagme Na Wai,
B. whereas since June 2008 the EU provides advice and assistance in support of the security sector reform in Guinea-Bissau through its ESDP mission "EU SSR Guinea-Bissau",
C. whereas peaceful elections on 16 November 2008 were held, in which the people of placeplaceGuinea-Bissau demonstrated their trust in democracy,
D. whereas placeplaceGuinea-Bissau has struggled to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, and also to sustain economic growth and political stability amid a series of civil conflicts, coups d’état and uprisings in recent decades,
1. Condemns the assassinations of the President of Guinea-Bissau, Joao Bernardo Vieira, and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Tagme Na Waie, on 1 and 2 March 2009;
2. Calls on the Government of Guinea-Bissau to bring to justice those responsible for these violent acts; calls upon the government, the political leaders, the Armed Forces and the people of Guinea-Bissau to remain calm, exercise restraint, maintain stability and constitutional order and respect the rule of law and the democratic process;
3. Urges all parties to resolve their disputes through political and peaceful means within the framework of the institutions of placeplaceGuinea-Bissau and opposes any attempt to change the government through unconstitutional means;
4. Calls on the Council, the Commission, the Member States, the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the Portuguese speaking community (CPLP) and other members of the international community remain seized of the developments in Guinea-Bissau, to assist in preserving the constitutional order in Guinea-Bissau and to continue to support peace-building efforts in the country;
5. Calls for an immediate initiation of talks between various political factions in the country, with a view to producing a program to which all stakeholders commit, which would include speeding up security sector reform, a revised electoral law, public administration reform, anti-corruption measures, macroeconomic stabilisation and consultation with civil society about national reconciliation;
6. Calls on the regional partners and donor countries to press all political actors to take part in the above dialogues and support their conclusions; calls on the donors to release money promised for security sector reform as soon as possible and set up an effective mechanism to coordinate their efforts in that area;
7. Calls on the UN Peace-building Commission (PBC) to help keep promised donor aid (both financial and technical) flowing, in particular for security sector and administrative reforms and the fight against drug trafficking;
8. Calls on the Council and the Commission to keep providing advice and assistance in support of the security sector reform in placeplaceGuinea-Bissau through its ESDP mission "EU SSR Guinea-Bissau";
9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the government and parliament of Guinea Bissau, the African Union, the Pan-African Union and the governments and parliaments of the Economic Community of West African States.