UNDP continues to equip Members of the Parliament (MPs) of Guinea-Bissau with skills and tools on mediation, dialogue, and negotiation, which are fundamental for parliamentarians to carry out their role, to increase confidence between the different political groups, and to promote political stability in the country.

In August and September 2021, resuming the work started in July with the parliamentary groups of Madem G-15 and of PAIGC, UNDP promoted trainings for PRS, PND, APU – PDGB, and UM. A total amount of 100 Members of Parliament and other political party members with a seat at the National People’s Assembly, took the 3 day-training in mediation, dialogue, and negotiation, facilitated by a mediation expert. The training used the ECOWAS Dialogue and Mediation Manual, whose translation to Portuguese was facilitated by UNDP Guinea-Bissau.

MPs, understanding the importance of peaceful resolution of conflicts in their work to reach consensual decisions in the National People’s Assembly (ANP) on key reforms for sustainable peace and development in the country, to overcome political impasses, and to promote amongst different actors the importance of methods and alternative techniques to solve conflicts, created the National People’s Assembly Good Offices Group in August 2020. The Good Offices Group elaborated a plan of activities and these trainings occurred in that context. 

“In this training, I was able to acquire knowledge and to reinforce my skills in the topics covered”, says one of the trainees. “As a political party activist, I gained knowledge about the role of a mediator in a conflict”.

“With this training I will be able to contribute to the processes of dialogue and conflict mediation as a political actor, contributing to the stabilization of the country”, refers another trainee.

This activity was conducted under the Political Stabilization and Reform through Confidence Building and Inclusive Dialogue project, funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, a project which supports inter-party and political leaders dialogue, and in particular the Good Offices Group National People’s Assembly.