平和構築委員会（PBC）ギニアビサウ国別会合における藤野書記官ステートメント
令和4年11月29日
Thank you, Chair, for convening this meeting.
I also thank the briefers for their remarks.
The West African region continues to struggle with insecurity and unpredictability. Guinea-Bissau is no exception. The attempted coup this February was a harsh reminder that the country still faces challenges in its peacebuilding efforts and that the international community, including the PBC, must stand together to support its leaders and people.
Political stability is essential to sustainable peace. Japan encourages the Government of Guinea-Bissau to set a clear schedule and to timely prepare for the legislative elections to ensure their implementation in a peaceful, transparent, and inclusive manner.
On this note, I would like to highlight two points:
First, it is crucial to have an inclusive and meaningful political dialogue and to promote necessary institutional reforms, especially constitutional reform establishing a clear division of executive, legislative, and judicial power. Japan calls on the Government to continue implementing the reforms outlined in the Conakry Agreement and the ECOWAS roadmap with due attention to the inclusion of women, youth, and minorities in decision-making.
Secondly, it is essential to strengthen and enhance the capacities of state institutions to be more democratic and accountable in order to enhance trust between the government and the population. In this regard, Japan just signed an Exchange of Notes on 24 November 2022 to provide grant aid of approximately 2 million USD. The project, in collaboration with UNDP, aims to enhance transparency and accountability through building necessary facilities and capacities including the digitization of government services. This cooperation is in line with Japan’s commitment to support Africa's own efforts to achieve peace and stability, under the New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa (NAPSA), as well as to promote and mainstream digital transformation, which was emphasized at TICAD 8 this August.
To conclude, I would like to reiterate Japan's continued commitment to supporting the peacebuilding efforts by the Bissau-Guineans.
I thank you.
I also thank the briefers for their remarks.
The West African region continues to struggle with insecurity and unpredictability. Guinea-Bissau is no exception. The attempted coup this February was a harsh reminder that the country still faces challenges in its peacebuilding efforts and that the international community, including the PBC, must stand together to support its leaders and people.
Political stability is essential to sustainable peace. Japan encourages the Government of Guinea-Bissau to set a clear schedule and to timely prepare for the legislative elections to ensure their implementation in a peaceful, transparent, and inclusive manner.
On this note, I would like to highlight two points:
First, it is crucial to have an inclusive and meaningful political dialogue and to promote necessary institutional reforms, especially constitutional reform establishing a clear division of executive, legislative, and judicial power. Japan calls on the Government to continue implementing the reforms outlined in the Conakry Agreement and the ECOWAS roadmap with due attention to the inclusion of women, youth, and minorities in decision-making.
Secondly, it is essential to strengthen and enhance the capacities of state institutions to be more democratic and accountable in order to enhance trust between the government and the population. In this regard, Japan just signed an Exchange of Notes on 24 November 2022 to provide grant aid of approximately 2 million USD. The project, in collaboration with UNDP, aims to enhance transparency and accountability through building necessary facilities and capacities including the digitization of government services. This cooperation is in line with Japan’s commitment to support Africa's own efforts to achieve peace and stability, under the New Approach for Peace and Stability in Africa (NAPSA), as well as to promote and mainstream digital transformation, which was emphasized at TICAD 8 this August.
To conclude, I would like to reiterate Japan's continued commitment to supporting the peacebuilding efforts by the Bissau-Guineans.
I thank you.