Security Council urges reforms

The UN Security Council on Tuesday urged Guinea-Bissau President Kumba Yala to press ahead with reforms so as to bring stability to the West African country, a council statement said. The council, which reviewed the Secretary General's latest report on Guinea-Bissau was briefed by the head of the UN Peace-Building mission in the country, David Stephen. Members supported the need for national dialogue, one of the recommendations made by Secretary General Kofi Annan, but highlighted three areas they said deserved strong commitment from the president. They called on Yala to encourage national reconciliation, good governance and the demobilisation, reintegration and reinsertion of former combatants; to keep a watchful eye on public finances and to improve international relations particularly with The Gambia, the statement said. Relations between Guinea-Bissau and its neighbour, The Gambia, hit a snag with last month's threat by Yala to attack The Gambia for reportedly backing alleged coups d'etat in Bissau. Annan has nominated an envoy to solve the dispute. The Security Council also appealed to international finance institutions to stay committed to the country. [The Security Council's statement is available at http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2002/afr429.doc.htm] [Annan's latest report is available at http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/reports/2002/662e.pdf]