A window of opportunity exists to consolidate peace in Guinea-Bissau, a senior official reported to the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC).

The optimistic note for Guinea-Bissau - plagued by poverty, periodic bouts of civil war, coups, assassinations, and drug trafficking - was prompted by the successful completion of peaceful presidential elections in July, culminating in the inauguration of Bacai Sanhá on 8 September.

"It is fair to say that there is an atmosphere of cautious optimism based on the belief that there is renewed political stability, following the recent election," said Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti, chair of the PBC's country-specific configuration on Guinea-Bissau and Permanent Representative of Brazil to the UN.

"The international community now needs to step up its efforts and coordinate assistance to the Government during this new phase of development," Ms. Viotti told a meeting of the PBC on Friday after attending the inauguration of President Sanhá.

The Peacebuilding Fund has allocated an initial $6 million to initiatives such as prison renovation, upgrading army barracks and programmes to stimulate youth employment. A second distribution is under consideration.

Guinea-Bissau was hit with a number of political killings this year, beginning in early March with the assassinations of President Joao Bernardo Vieira and Chief of Staff Tagme Na Waie. Then on 5 June, Baciro Dabo, a candidate in the 28 June presidential elections, and Helder Proenca, a Member of Parliament and former Minister of Defense, were also killed.