West Africa: Ecowas Mediation, Security Council to Meet in Abidjan on Mali, Guinea-Bissau

Photo: Kate Thomas/IRIN
Soldiers have reportedly surrounded the residence of the outgoing prime minister in the capital, Bissau.

Ministers of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council will meet in Abidjan on Thursday, 12th April 2012 to review proposals for resolving the political crises in Mali and Guinea Bissau.

The meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, who will be joined by their counterparts in charge of defence, will consider recommendations by the
President of the ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo on the regional responses to the evolving situation in Mali where separatist rebels have taken over sections of the north of the country and following the now-reversed 22nd March 2012 military coup d’état.

The ministers will also consider the report of the 5th April 2012 meeting of the regional Chiefs of Defence Staff, including the proposals for possible deployment of a regional force to assist in securing the territorial integrity of Mali against the Tuareg rebellion.

At their extra-ordinary summit in Abidjan on 27th March 2012, ECOWAS leaders 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.

The summit also appointed President Blaise Compaoré 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 through the suspension of Mali and imposition of legal, economic and diplomatic sanctions on the country, has already resultedin an agreement by the military junta to restore constitutional order by handing over to the Speaker of the National Assembly on Thursday, 12th April 2012 as a first step.

The Mediation and Security Council ministerial meeting will also consider proposals by President Ouédraogo for resolving the post-election crisis threatening to destabilize Guinea Bissau.

A joint delegation of ECOWAS, African Union and UN officials led by the President of the ECOWAS Commission visited the country on 31st March 2012 and met with stakeholders as part of regional efforts to douse tension over the disputed outcome of the inconclusive 18th March 2012 presidential election to replace President Bacai Sanha, who died on 9th January2012.

The dispute has stalled the organization of a run-off poll between the two presidential frontrunners – former Prime Minister Carlos Gomes and former President Kumba Yala - with the latter alleging fraud in the first round balloting.

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  • ras sideeq
    Apr 13 2012, 15:09

    I SPOKE OF THIS CONUNTRY TWO DAYS AGO I LINKED THEM WITHIN THE FRANCO FONE WHERE I WAS MISTAKEN; HOWEVER THESE COUNTRIES AS I SAID HAVE SO MUCH RESOURCES ITS UNIMAGINABLE. THE PEOPLE ARE NOT LIVING AS THEY SHOULD, EDUCATION IS NOT AT ALEVEL WHERE IT SHOULD BE. RIGHT NOW ECOWAS SHOULD ESTABLISH A CERTAIN LEVEL OF LIETRACY THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE IN ECOWAS STATES. THERE MUST BE A DRIVE TO ILLIMINATE ILLITERACY IGNORANCEAND INCOMPETETNCE. WHAT MUST BE CERTAINLY RECOGNISED IS THAT YOU ARE MOST DEFINITELY YOUR BROTHERS KEEPER. NOT ONLY MUST THERE BE AN INTEGRATED MILITARY PRESSENCE IN WEST AFRICA WHICH IS COMPLETELY AFFORDABLE WITH ONE CURRENCY AND LINKING ALL THE MARKETS SO THAT YOUR CHANCE OF FAILURE WOULD BE MINIMISED. WHAT WOULD BE PROFITABLE YOU WOULD BEW ABNLE TO DETERMIN GOOD PRICES FRO EXPORT NOT WHAT THSOE THIEVES AND RASCALS IN THE WEST ARE PARTICIPATING IN. THIS IS WHY YOU ARE HEARING SUCH ACRY FOR ISLAMIC TENDENCIES. THEY SEE SO MUCH CORRUPTION THEY SEEE HOW THEY LIVE AND RESOGNISE THAT THE WEST MANIPULATES AND SETS PRICES FOR THEMSELVES. WHY SHOULD WE SACRIFICE THE LIVES OF OVER ONE BILLION ON THE CONTINENT FOR A MERE THOUSANDS. THESE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING UP PRICES MAKING IT HARD FOR POOR FARMERS AFRICANS TO EVEN AMKE A DOOLAR THEY SEEM TO THINK THAT IF AN AFRICAN GETS ONE OF THEIR FRAUDULENT DOLLARS ITS A MIDDLE CLASS EXISTENCE THIS IS ABSURDITITY AND AN INSULT. MY BROTHERS EDUCTION IS A PROBLEM FOR WEST AFRICA SO SI INHFRASTRUCTURE. THESE THINGS ARE SO UNDERDEVELOPED ITS PATHETIC SO WE BECOME VICTIMS OF OUR OWN IGNORANCE. WITH A STRONG INTEGRATED FORCE OF ALL THE NATIONS MAKING IT A PROFESSIONAL FORCE THAT IS UNDER THE HIGH COMMAND OF THE ECOAS WING OF THE AU THERE WOULD BE LESS FUEDS LES MUTINYS AND EV COWAS WOULD BEGIN TO IMPLIMENT A STRONG ROBUST INFRASTRUCTURE REFORM IN EVERY SINGLE ECOWAS STATE LINKING ALL RAIL LINKS HIGHWAYS PAVED OF COURSE AND ELECTRICITY TO POWER WEST AFRICA WITH ALL THE GAS WE HAVE IN AFRICA WE NEED TO LINK THESE THINGS TO PIPELENS INTO NEW CITIES AND DEVELPED CITIES ERADICATING SLUMS NASTY DISGUSTING UNHYGENIC SLUMSCARRIERES OF DISEASES. WE MUUST APPROVE THIS TYPE OF THINKING WHERE THE INTEGRATION MEANS UNITY ITS A BIG STEP BUT IF W GO INTO HISTORY ECOWAS WAS AREALITY MANY TIMES IN OUR LONG ILLUSTRIOUS WEST AFRICAN HISTORIES. WE NEED TO REVAMP OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM INVOLVING OUR YOUTH IN LEARNING FROM A VERY EARLY AGE. BOOLS RECORDS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO YOUTHS EARLY OUT EQUAL SPORTS TO MAINATIN A STRONG BALANCE OF A HEALTHY BODY AND A HEALTHY MIND. FOOD MUST BE OF HIGH QUALITY FROM AN EARLY AGE STRONG GREENS GREEN BANANAS FISH COOKE FISH NOT SO MUVH SMOKED BUT FRESH FISH COOKED SO THEY CAN GET ALL THE MINERALS FROM THESE FOODS. IT IS A WASTE THAT THE WATERS WHICH WERE TEEMING WITH FOD STTUFS ARE NOW CONTAMINATED AND POLLUTED THERE SHOULD BE AHIGH FINE AND PUNISHMENT FOR SUCH INSINCERITY SUCH NEGLIGENCE. AFRICA IF WE ARE TO MASTER ORU OWN DESTINY IT HARD WORK BUT IT IS WORTH IT THIS WHY THOSE WHO WANT TO TAKE THE EASY CORRUPT PATH AND BANKRUPT THESE NATIONS SHOULD BE SHOT. THIS IS NOT A JOKE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY T FEED ALL OF AFRICA BY OURSELVES IF WE WERE ABLE TO SUSTAIN OUR GHROWTH WITH TECHNICAL EDUCATED PEOPLE AVANCEMNETVERSED IN EVERY FIELD THAT IS CAPABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF ADVANCEMENT. WE NEED TO EXERCISE OUR HUMAN ENDEAVOURS TO CREATE A WORLD THAT IS WELL BALANCED AND AN EXAMPLE TO THE WORLD. WE SHOUDL NOT EB AIMING TO BE SUPER POWERS THIS A NEGATIVE UNIMPORTANT WASTE OF HUMAN CREATIVITY THAT LACKS ENDEACOUR. RIGHT NOW THE EARTH I BEING STUNTED BY THOSDE WHO WANT TO BULLY PEOPLE NOT TOG ROW BUTREMAIN TSAGNANT SO THEY CAN ABUSE THEM. THEY RAN FOR GOLD THEN THEY GOT TIRED NOW THEY ARE ANGRY. WHAT DID A WISE MAN SAY "THE RACE IS NOT FOR THE SWIFT BUT WHO CAN ENDURE"WE MUST LITTLE BY LITTLE STEP BY STEP WE REACH THE DOOR" THIS A TASK WE CAN SURPRISINGLY DO WITHIN AFEW ECADES WE HAVE EVERYTHING IN THE WEST . WE HAVE IRON ORE WE HAVE GAS OIL GOLD DIAMONDS WE HAVE AGRICULTURE THAT IS COMING FORWARD. WHAT I DONT SE IN AFRICA LIKE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS FRUIT TREES EVERY WHERE PLUIMS GUINEPS MANGOS THEM THINGS SHOULD BE READILY EATABLE EVERYHWEREE. ECOWAS MUST REORGANISE ALONG THE LINES THATB IS BENIFICIAL TO TH EREGION NOT TO AFRICOM. AND UNWE ARE A UNITED AFRICA FIRST AND FOREMOST WE LIVE TO EMPOWER UPLIFT OUR PEOPLE ITB IS NT OUR DUTY TO KEEP THEM STAGNAT DYSFUNCTIONAL. THERE IS NO WAY WE SHGOULD HAVE ALIQUOR STORE ON EVERYU CORNER ENCOURAEING CHILDREN TO START SMOKING CIGARETTES AT AN EARLY AGE AND DONT TELL ME HIS DOES NOT GO ON. THE WEST HHAS PROGRAMED THIS EVERYHWERE IN TEH CARRIBEAN SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH AMERICA USA EVERY LITTLE YOUTH THINKS HE IS A BIG MAN WHEN HE SMOKES A CIGARETTE. THEN WE FIND THE ELDERS WHOSE LIFE SEEMS SO FULL OF DISPAIR THEY ONLY WANT TO DRINK GET DRUNK MAYBE ABUSE THEIR CHILDREN BEAT THEIR WOMEN ETC.WE MSUT START FRESH AGENDA TO UPLIFTMENT THIS A BIG WORD UPLIFTMENT !!!!!!!. WHEN WE BROACH THAT AS ACIVL RIGHT THAT ALL PEOPLE MUST BE UIPLIFTED ANS TAKEN OUT OF DARKNESS AND SHOWN WHERE THERE IS A LIFE FULL OF HOPE FULL FO GLORY SHOUDL THEY SEEK TO NOURISH THEIR MINDS WITH PSITIVE THOUGHTS. WHEN PEOPLE ARE GINORANT AND ILLITERATE THEY FILL THEIR THOUGHTS WITH IDLE WASTE FULL THINGS THINGS THAT DRAW DOWN THEIR MORALL THINGS THAT KEEP THEM IN POVERTY NEGATIVITY JUST FEEDS NEGATIVUTY. THE MORE NEGATIVE THE MORE MINDS YOU WASTE THE MORE PRISON CELLS YOU HAVE TO BUILD THEN YOU RUN INTO TROUBLE BECAUSE THEY ARE THEN NEGLECTED AND THEIR HUMANITY IS DLETED. TODAY WEST AFRICA LOOK AT YOUR FUTURE THE WAY OF YESTERDAY IS NOT THE WAY FOR TOMORROW. LOOKA WHAT WE JUST ENCOUNTERED TWO COUPS BACK TO BACK. SHOULD WE HAVE A UNITED ARMED AFRICAN FORCES TRAINED BY AF5ICANS INEXPERT JUNGLE WAR FARE AND EVN GOING INOT CHINA STUDY COLD WEATHER WAR FARE AND URBAN WARFARE WHGICH AFRICANS ARE WELL VERSED IN ;THAT ITS TIME NOW TO PUT ON YOUR HAT AND STEP UP THE GAME. WE NEED A NAVY WE NEED AN ARMY WE NEED TO LEARN TO DO FOR SELF. INDEPENDENCE FOR THE PEOPLESHOULD BE AN UNSELFISH ACT. THINKING ONLY OF THE MAJOURITY OF PEOPLE. OUR LEADERS CAN NOT BEPUPPETS TO ANY OTHERS EXCEPT THE AFRICAN PEOPLE . SHOUDL YOU FEL THREATENED THEN QUIT YOU ARE NOT THE ONE TO STAND AND REPRESENT AFRICANS . AFRICANS RIGHT NOW ARE RTEDAY TO DIE FOR LIBERTY ARE WE CLEAR THERE ARE MAN AN MAN RIGHT NOW READY TO DIER FOR OUR STRONG LIBERATION. THIS NAME LIBERATION MOVEMENT. WE OPPOSE ANY FORM OF OPPRESSIN DEPPRESSION SUPPRESSION OF ANY HUMAN BEINGS. WE DONT EVN WAT TO SEE THE MISUSE OF ANIMALS BEACSUE THEY ARE ALL OUR LORDS CREATURES". WE MUST REDEFINE WHAT IT IS THAT THE THE EPOPLE ARE CALLING FOR . WE CAN NOT HAVE SATN AND GOD REIGNING IN THE SAME HOUSE THIS WHAT IS CONFUSING OUR AFRICAN LEADERS AT THE MPOMENT. THEY WANT TO HAVE SATN WHILE STANDING BESIED "ALMIGHTY GOD" EXPLAIN HOW THAT CAN WORK? THE PORBLEM YOU HAVE IS PLEASING SATN OR PLEASING THE PEOPLE THE [PEOPLE RATHER HAVBE GOD". SEARCH YOUR HEARTS AN DESCIDE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WANT THE HATEFUL DUTTY LIFE THAT HAS BEENIMPOSED UPON AFRICA IN THE NAME OF ADVANCEMNET OR AFTER THE DUST SETTLES WE FIND THAT THIA HAS BEEN AN EXERCISE INFUTILIYT FOR WE HAVE NOT BEEN NAUY WHERE BUT WAY BACK IN TIME. WE HAVE BEEN DRAGGED THOUSANDS OF YEARS BACKWARDS. WE PASS THIS POST DONKEYS YEARS AGO WHY ARE WE STRUGGLING TO GET PAST THIS GOAL POST AGIN. SO YOU SEE WHAT IS IT WE WANT TO DO FOR SELF LEARNING FROM EXPERIMENTING AND STUDYING IVING ALK OUR PEOPLE A ACHCNCE FOR THEIR IMPUT AND SKILLS ARE OR WE GOING TO BE LED AROUND THE PLACE LIKE A COW WITH THE RING IN HER NOSE OUT TO PASTURE. WHAT ORU PEOPLE DO NOT NEED WHAT WE DONT NEED TO IMPORT ALCOHOL CIGARETTES. IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO ALLOW THE PEOPLE TO SMOKE HERB RATHER THAN THE NASTINEESS WHICH THEY MANUFACTURE AS SOMETHING NICE WHENIT IS DEATH DEATH IT IS MURDER SLOWLY HOW DUNCE AREC WE.

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