Photo taken on Feb. 28, 2019 shows the United Nations Security Council holding a meeting on the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS) at the UN headquarters in New York. The Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution renewing for one year the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS). (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Security Council on Thursday adopted a resolution renewing for one year the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS).
Reaffirming its full commitment to the consolidation of peace and stability in Guinea-Bissau, the Security Council in Resolution 2458 decided to extend the mandate of UNIOGBIS beginning on March 1, 2019 until Feb. 28, 2020.
The mandate renewal came as the council has been considering a proposal of the secretary-general to withdraw UNIOGBIS by the end of 2020.
According to the resolution, UNIOGBIS will implement the transition plan for the gradual drawing down and transfer of tasks to the UN Country Team (UNCT), the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and international partners, with a view toward prospective completion by Dec. 31, 2020.
However, the resolution showed that UNIOGBIS would remain as currently configured and prioritize support for the holding of the legislative elections scheduled for March 10, 2019 and the presidential election within the legally-mandated timeframe in 2019.
Guinea-Bissau has been in a political crisis since August 2015, when President Mario Vaz deposed Prime Minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, his main political rival.
UNIOGBIS was established in 2010. Its predecessor mission was set up in 1999.
