ECOWAS Takes Tough Stance On Guinea, Niger
ECOWAS
member states have imposed an arms embargo on Guinea under the
ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
At its meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, the Heads of States and
Governments condemned the mass violation of human rights and
humanitarian law in Guinea and the brutal acts of massacre, rape
and other atrocities perpetrated by the security forces.
The summit commended President Blaise Compaore’s mediation
efforts. It expressed strong support for his mediation efforts
and urged him to take all appropriate steps to re-establish
dialogue among the Guinean political actors.
On Niger
The summit urgently request President Mamadou Tandja and the
Niger authorities to suspend indefinitely the holding of the
legislative elections scheduled for 20 October, in favour of
dialogue with the other leading political parties on resolving
the political crisis in the country.
It dispatched a high level mission, comprising President Ellen
Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia and former Nigerian Head of State,
General Abdulsalami Abubakar, to Niamey to meet President Tandja
and facilitate the restoration of dialogue between the
stakeholders.
Other resolutions
The Summit reiterated the unflinching commitment of Member
States to the principles of democracy and the rule of law, and
its rejection of unconstitutional accession to or maintenance of
power.
It called for more effective measures at regional and
continental levels to combat the violation of and the temptation
to violate national, regional and continental instruments,
principles and norms on Democracy and Good Governance.
PR/Yinka
