ECOWAS Leaders Parley on Security Situation in Liberia, Cote d' Ivoire
Huhuonline.com can disclose that leaders of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) had a mini-summit in Abuja, Saturday, to tackle the election and security problems facing the sub-region, particularly Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire.
According to a communique issued at the summit that held at the conference hall, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the ECOWASs leaders "asked the United Nations (UN) to intensify joint UNOCI-UNMIL monitoring and control of the common border zone between the two countries".
Against this backdrop, the ECOWAS "requested the UN to provide additional technical assistance to the peace-keeping Missions".
The mini-summit further "resolved to continue to work closely with the UN in line with the UNSC Resolution 2000 (2011), with a view to creating the requisite environment for the conduct of peaceful, free, fair and credible elections on 11 October 2011".
"The Heads of States tasked representatives of the Mini-Summit to meet with the UN Second Gen with a view to urging greater UN security efforts in the region, as well as expressing the desire of the Mini Summit for greater. ECOWAS-UN colourful, in this regard.
With regard to the humanitarian situation, the Mini-Summit "instructed the President of the Commission to intensify ECOWAS efforts, in collaboration with the relevant UN Agencies, at mobilizing assistance for the refugees and IDPs along the common border and facilitating the return and re-settlement of refugees and IDPs".
On Liberia election, the Summit "reiterated that ECOWAS would not tolerate any acts of incitement and provocation during the electoral process, or refusals of the outcome of free and fair. Elections. In this respect, they declared zero tolerance for any attempt to oppose the verdict of the ballot box".
Those who attended the summit were the Presidents of Ghana, Liberia, Burkina Faso, Cote D'Ivore, Senegal and the summit was chaired by Presided Goodluck Jonathan.