ECOWAS leaders hold regional security summit Sunday
A mini-summit on security in the West African sub-region has taken place on Sunday in the Nigerian capital, Abuja.
The meeting was being chaired by the current chairman of the sub-regional bloc, ECOWAS, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.
Sunday’s meeting will be attended by the Presidents of Liberia, the Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Senegal.
In recent months, serious concerns have been raised about the discoveries of cache of arms on Liberia’s border with Ivory Coast and the presence of mercenaries on the two neigbouring countries’ borders.
Liberia is heading for presidential and general elections in less than six weeks.
In a report released recently, the International Crisis Group (ICG) spoke of the urgent need to address some security problems that could undermine Liberia’s fragile peace before, during and after the upcoming October/November presidential and general elections.
“The most serious threats to security, however, are the persistence of mercenary activities and arms proliferation. The post-election crisis in Côte d’Ivoire from December 2010 to April 2011 has tragically revealed the extent of the problem for the entire region,” the group said.
ICG also said the sub-regional bloc ECOWAS closure of its diplomatic mission in Liberia is considered by the crisis group as premature and urged the 15-member body to “recognize that there are still dangers and contribute to initiatives to ensure security in eastern Liberia and western Côte d’Ivoire. “
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