Ecowas Military Chiefs in Guinea Bissau On Fact-Finding Mission

3 May 2010
press release

Bamako — A four-member delegation of ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff arrived in Guinea Bissau on Monday, 3rd May 2010 on a fact-finding mission related to the 1st April 2010 incident by a section of the country's armed forces that resulted in the brief detention of the Prime Minister and the detention of the Chief of Defence Staff.

A General who was accused of complicity on a previous coup in the country and who returned in December 2009 was also released by the soldiers. Liberia's Chief of Defence Staff is leading the delegation which also includes his counterparts from the armed forces of Cape Verde, Ghana and Togo.

The decision to despatch the mission was taken at the last meeting of the Chiefs of Defence Staff of ECOWAS Member States held in Cotonou in April 2010 and which was attended by Guinea Bissau's Chief of Army Staff. During their week-long visit, the delegation which also includes the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Col. Mahamane Toure, is expected to meet with the President, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Chief of Defence Staff, the Minister of Interior and representatives of civil society organizations for a better understanding of the events of that day.

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