New York -
Guinea Bissau remains in a “fragile state” following a 2012 coup and still requires support from the international community, the prime minister told the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
Domingos Pereira, who was appointed as prime minister in June, said while there has been some progress clocked, the troubled West African nation still faces challenges.
“Despite significant advances that the country has registered in terms of reforms, there are still serious risks when it comes to fragility,” Pereira said after a United Nations meeting on the situation in Guinea Bissau.
He said the country faces key issues, namely “a fragile state, limited resources and persistent social instability” and called for support from the international community.
“Guinea Bissau needs strong external help.”
Pereira requested the United Nations to extend its peacebuilding mission, which is set to expire later this month.
He acknowledged, however, that the country is “full of hope and expectation now”, despite the troubles it faces.
The chair of the UN peacebuilding commission for Guinea Bissau, Antonio Patriota, said while the country was moving in “the right direction”, he has “cautious optimism” about progress.
He warned that an Ebola outbreak ravaging other countries in West Africa could devastate Guinea Bissau.
“Any progress on the social-economic front could be threatened by the potential and devastating consequences of an Ebola outbreak,” he said.
Guinea Bissau's April 2012 coup was followed by a democratic transition process in the tiny West African country, which led to the election of Jose Mario Vaz as head of state in May 2014.
The former Portuguese colony of 1.6 million people has seen a succession of coups since it gained independence in 1974. - Sapa-AFP