UN Sec-Gen Receives President of the ECOWAS Commission in New York
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- Category: Latest
- Published on Friday, 06 July 2012 19:28
- Written by Elombah.com
The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has received in audience an ECOWAS delegation led by the President of the ECOWAS Commission Ambassador Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, for talks in New York on wide ranging regional issues. Discussions at the meeting on 3rd July 2012 covered the general security situation in West
Africa and the Sahel region, particularly the situation in Mali.
President Ouedraogo briefed the Secretary-General on the decisions of
the 41st Ordinary Session of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State
and Government held in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire, especially the
need for an urgent deployment of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in
Mali following the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation
in that country, compounded by the rebellion in the North.
Ambassador Ouedraogo highlighted the mandate of the proposed ECOWAS
Standby Force in Mali as adopted by the ECOWAS Mediation and Security
Council and endorsed by the Chair of the ECOWAS Authority on the 16th
April 2012, which essentially, is to secure the transition process
leading to the restoration of democratic rule; assist in restructuring
the Malian Armed Forces; create an enabling environment for promoting
respect for human rights and support the delivery of humanitarian
assistance.
The force is also expected to support the Malian Army to restore the
territorial integrity of the country.
President Ouedraogo explained that the ECOWAS strategy involved a
phased deployment process combined with mediation efforts.
He also highlighted the strong cooperation between ECOWAS, the AU, UN,
EU and countries of the Region as well as development partners in
addressing the situation in Mali, and the high-level consultative and
negotiation meetings with stakeholders planned for 7th July 2012 in
Burkina Faso, whose President His Excellency Blaise Compaore is the
regional mediator on the Mali crisis.
A joint military and political technical assessment mission is also
planned by ECOWAS and partners to Mali to conduct detailed assessment
and reconnaissance prior to the proposed deployment. This will be
followed by a final planning conference where the roles and
contribution of partners would be identified and agreed upon,
Ambassador Ouedraogo added.
The Secretary-General welcomed the briefing and recalled his report to
the UN Security Council on the security situation in the Sahel region
and subsequent advocacy with eminent personalities in the Arab world
to exert the necessary influence on the antagonists in the North of
Mali in order to halt the destruction of the world cultural monuments
in that country.
In addressing the situation in Mali, he said the Council relies on the
leadership role of ECOWAS in close coordination with the AU and other
partners and promised to present the additional information on the
ECOWAS plan and strategy to the Security Council.
On Guinea-Bissau, the Secretary General urged the President of the
Commission to ensure that ECOWAS takes measures to resolve differences
between the Transitional Authorities and stakeholders for the
restoration of democratic rule at the end of the transition period in
the country.
He expressed concern at the security situation along the Cote
d’Ivoire-Liberia borders, and stressed the need for ECOWAS to adopt
proactive measures to address the emerging insecurity in those areas.
The ECOWAS delegation included the Commissioner for Political Affairs,
Peace and Security Mrs. Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman and other officials
of the Commission.
