The Secretary-General shares the concern expressed by the Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on 17 December over the prolonged political and institutional crisis in Guinea-Bissau, which continues to negatively impact the people of the country.

The Secretary-General expresses his appreciation to the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, in particular the ECOWAS Mediator for Guinea-Bissau, President Alpha Condé of Guinea, and the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, for their continuing efforts aimed at ensuring the full implementation of the ECOWAS Roadmap of 10 September 2016 and the Conakry Accord of 14 October 2016. He calls on Guinea-Bissau's political leadership to demonstrate the requisite commitment and goodwill to reach a lasting political solution to the crisis in their country on the basis of the ECOWAS Roadmap and the Conakry Accord.

The Secretary-General takes note of the decision by the ECOWAS Authority to proceed with the withdrawal of the ECOWAS Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB) in the first quarter of 2017. He expresses the hope that such withdrawal will be contingent on the preconditions stipulated in the ECOWAS Roadmap and adequate consultation with international partners, including the United Nations.

The Secretary-General underscores the commitment of the United Nations and his Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea-Bissau (UNIOGBIS), Mr. Modibo Touré, to continue to fully support the ECOWAS-led mediation process and the full and swift implementation of the ECOWAS Roadmap and Conakry Accord.