ECOWAS Strengthens Regional Commitment at UN Peacebuilding Meeting on Guinea Bissau
By Raymond Enoch
In a strong demonstration of its commitment to peace and stability in the West African region, the ECOWAS Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations participated at a Ambassadorial-level meeting of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) on Guinea Bissau at the UN Headquarters in New York,
The meeting served as a pivotal moment in fostering international cooperation for peace consolidation and sustainable development in Guinea Bissau.
Representing ECOWAS at the gathering was Ambassador Kinza Jawara-Njai, whose presence underscored the regional body’s unwavering dedication to the peacebuilding process in Guinea Bissau, a country with a history of political instability. The meeting, convened under the auspices of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, provided a much-needed platform for Guinea Bissau to share its current peacebuilding priorities with the international community.
The event was a convergence of global and regional actors committed to the country’s development, bringing together key stakeholders, including international partners, diplomats, and peacebuilding experts. Guinea Bissau used the opportunity to present its roadmap for peace and security, highlighting the challenges that persist and seeking renewed international support to address them.c
Ambassador Jawara-Njai emphasized ECOWAS’s role in promoting peace in the region and reiterated its support for Guinea Bissau. Speaking at the meeting, she highlighted ECOWAS’s longstanding partnership with the country, which has included mediation efforts, electoral support, and capacity-building initiatives aimed at fostering stability. She also called on international partners to increase their investments in peacebuilding and socioeconomic development to create lasting solutions to the challenges facing the West African nation.
The Ambassadorial-level dialogue also allowed the UN Peacebuilding Commission to evaluate ways to strengthen its engagement with Guinea Bissau and explore innovative approaches to support the country’s peace agenda. Several representatives commended the government of Guinea Bissau for its efforts in navigating the complex path to stability while urging continued collaboration between the UN, regional organizations like ECOWAS, and the global donor community.
Guinea Bissau’s peacebuilding roadmap, as presented at the meeting, prioritizes electoral reform, security sector transformation, and enhanced governance frameworks. These efforts aim to address the root causes of instability while creating an enabling environment for economic growth and sustainable development.
The meeting concluded with a collective commitment from all participants to deepen partnerships and ensure that Guinea Bissau receives the necessary resources and support to achieve lasting peace. Ambassador Jawara-Njai’s active participation in the discussions was a reminder of ECOWAS’s leadership in regional peacebuilding and its pivotal role in strengthening the bonds of cooperation between African nations and the international community.
As Guinea Bissau embarks on its journey toward a peaceful and prosperous future, the solidarity expressed at the UN Peacebuilding Commission meeting underscores the power of multilateral collaboration in addressing global challenges. For ECOWAS, the gathering was yet another milestone in its mission to promote peace, democracy, and development across West Africa, proving that unity and partnership remain the cornerstone of effective peacebuilding.
