ECOWAS leaders deliberate on Mali, Guinea Bissau

Besides, the heads of state would discuss the proposal for the expansion of the ECOWAS Commission and the allocation of statutory positions, the election of chairman of the Authority and the presentation of the candidate to complete the tenure of Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambers as the Secretary General of Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries.

In a brief remark to journalists before the start of the summit, President Mahama underscored the need for all the political partners in Mali to be brought together to agree on modalities for organising an election.

That, he said, would be the basis for consolidating democracy in Mali.

President said it was crucial for him and his colleagues to identify which of the rebels could be "amenable" and bring them back to their side.

"Security should be seen as a collective desire that we can all work towards," he said.

Opening the summit, the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS and President of Côte d'Ivoire, President Alassan Ouattara, commended the United Nations (UN), France, United States of America, African Union (AU) and ECOWAS for working together to fight the militants in Mali.

He said it was that collaborative effort that had helped to restore peace and relative stability to Mali.

Consequently, he said, Mali was expected to hold an election in the next three months to begin its transition to constitutional democracy.

On Guinea Bissau, President Ouattara said much progress had been made on the political and democratic fronts in that country.

He, therefore, appealed to the AU to lift the sanction on Guinea Bissau to enable the country to regain its recognition at the regional body.

In his address, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, said the adoption of Resolution 2085, which underpinned the rapid deployment of African-led  International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA) alongside the French and Malian forces in order mitigate the security threats posed by terrorist groups, was an important step.

He paid tribute to the memory of AFISMA soldiers who died in recent clashes in Gao and Kidal regions of Mali.

He commended France for the decisive action taken in the Mali situation and again thanked all the troop-contributing countries that were currently deployed in the theatre of operations for the reconquest of Northern Mali.

Mr Ouedraogo stressed the need for emphasis to be put on achieving stability and lasting security in the liberated areas "with a view to preventing asymmetric warfare incursion that could erode the progress made."

"It is also important to ensure respect for international humanitarian law and human rights in order to prevent abuses and reprisals that could undermine the credibility of our action," he demanded of the leaders.

Mr Ouedraogo called for the transformation of AFISMA into a UN Peacekeeping Mission based on specific modalities.

He said there was the need for efforts to be made for the complete return of constitutional order in Guinea Bissau.

Story by Musah Yahaya Jafaru