Freetown — A press release issued by ECOWAS Tuesday stated that a Ministerial delegation comprising the Minister of State for Cooperation of Burkina Faso, Minata Samaté-Cessouma, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Bagudu Hirse and ECOWAS President, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas has paid a one-day visit to Guinea on Monday.

"While in Conakry, Guinea, the delegation will hold consultations with the Guinean authorities, trade unions and civil society organisations," the release stated.

According to Dr. Chambas, the visit is to ascertain the progress in the reform process underway in Guinea, prior to the forthcoming meeting of the International Contact Group on the Mano River Basin (ICG-MRB) in New York on 24th September 2007.

He further explained: "We want to give an accurate account of the developments in Guinea to the ICG-MRB so that ECOWAS will be able to mobilise necessary international support for Guinea's reform agenda. A unique opportunity presents itself today in Guinea for political, economic and security sector reform and every effort must be deployed to push the reform process forward."

Dr. Chambas also said that the visit was to assure the Guinean authorities and other stakeholders that ECOWAS remains committed to accompany them in their determined effort to enthrone good governance and respect for human rights.