ECOWAS Suspends Cote d'Ivoire, Recognises Alassane Ouatara

ECOWAS Suspends Cote d'Ivoire, Recognises Alassane Ouatara

The regional group, Economic Community of West African states, ECOWAS, has suspended Cote D'ivorie from all its activities and recognised Mr Alassane Ouatara as the winner of the presidential re-run election.

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan and Chairman of ECOWAS announced the suspension after an extra ordinary meeting of the regional group in Abuja on Tuesday.

Collective Resolve

According to the ECOWAS leaders,” as part of efforts to seek for a coordinated response to the electoral crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, the summit has endorsed the results declared by the country's Independent Electoral Commission and certified by the special representative of the UN Secretary General.”

The EU, France, and US have recognised the victory of Allassane Ouatara as duely elected President of Cote D'Ivorie.

ECOWAS' spokesman, Sunny Ugoh said that the meeting was also an opportunity for heads of state to pool their collective wisdom to see how they can advance the peace process in the cocoa producing nation.

UN spokesperson, Martin Nesirky, while addressing newsmen on Monday said that Secretary General, Ban Ki moon has also called on Burkina Faso's President, Blaise Compaoré and Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi, Chair of the African Union (AU) to intervene in the political logjam.

Earlier mediation efforts by South African president , Thabo Mbeki ended in a deadlock without a deal.

Election crisis

Disagreement over the outcome of last month's presidential election in Ivory Coast, the world's top cocoa grower, has raised the risk of renewed violence in the country.

Incumbent Laurent Gbagbo was sworn in as President last week after the electoral commission had declared Alassane Ouattara the winner of the November 28 run - off election.

Security situation

The streets of Ivory Coast capital, Abidjan hummed with traffic as normal on Tuesday. However, the local United Nations mission evacuated non-essential staff as security became more uncertain.

Effects emerging

Cocoa futures in London hit new highs on fears of disruptions to world supplies, with the second-month futures contract up by over 1.5 percent at 2,081 pounds a tonne.

Qasim