ECOWAS Group at AU summit discusses Cote d’Ivoire

The ECOWAS Group attending the African Union (AU) summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has held a caucus meeting on Cote d’Ivoire to help fashion out a way for peace in the country after a disputed presidential election last year.

Details of the meeting, held behind close were not disclosed, but it is believed that leaders of the West African Regional Group arrived on a decision on how to use mediation and dialogue to resolve the political impasse.

President John Evans Atta Mills of Ghana, Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia were among the Presidents that attended the meeting.

The political impasse in Cote d’Ivoire has been a major issue at the 16th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government of the AU.

The meeting enabled the leaders to discuss the ECOWAS position and to effectively contribute to the AU’s decision on Cote d’Ivoire.

The ECOWAS Group approved the AU Commission decision to set up a panel of mediators from the five regions of Africa who would be assisted by the AU Mediator on La Cote d’Ivoire and Kenya Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and other experts to have further consultation and mediation on the crisis.

Cote d’Ivoire, which share borders with Ghana, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mali and Guinea, has been plunged into political crisis over the rightful winner of the country’s presidential poll between then incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo and contender Allasane Ouattara.

The international community has endorsed Mr Ouattara as winner of the election.

Source: GNA