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Ministers of the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) Mediation and Security Council will meet on Thursday in Cote d'Ivoire's economic capital Abidjan to review proposals for resolving the political crises in Mali and Guinea Bissau, a statement by the regional bloc said Wednesday.
The statement said meeting of the foreign affairs and defense ministers in the region will consider recommendations by the president of the ECOWAS Commission, Kadire Desire Ouedraogo on the regional responses to the evolving situation in Mali.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of separatist rebels sweeping through northern Mali and the military junta agreeing to hand over power after seizing power on March 22 in a coup d'etat.
The ECOWAS statement said the ministers will also consider the proposals for possible deployment of a regional force to assist in securing the territorial integrity of Mali against the Tuareg rebellions.
According to the statement, ECOWAS leaders had served notice of the possible deployment of the regional standby force, should the rebels refuse to observe a ceasefire and engage in dialogue to resolve the political situation in northern Mali.
At a recent summit, the ECOWAS leaders had also appointed President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso as mediator of the Mali crisis and impressed upon the coup makers to revert to constitutional order.
The intervention of regional leaders, including the suspension of Mali and imposition of legal, economic and diplomatic sanctions on the country, resulted in an agreement by the military junta to restore constitutional order by handing over to the Speaker of the National Assembly on Thursday as a first step.
"The Mediation and Security Council ministerial meeting will further consider proposals by President Oudraogo for resolving the post-election crisis threatening to destabilize Guinea Bissau, " the statement added, saying a joint delegation of ECOWAS, African Union and United Union (UN) officials led by the President of the ECOWAS Commission visited the country on March 31 and met with stakeholders as part of regional efforts to douse tension over the disputed outcome of the inconclusive March 18 presidential election to replace President Bacai Sanha, who died on Jan. 9.
The dispute has stalled the organization of a run-off poll between the two presidential frontrunners, former Prime Minister Carlos Gomez and former President Kumba Yala, with the latter alleging fraud in the first round balloting. |
