The Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS has approved the deployment of the ECOWAS Standby Force in Mali with immediate effect.
A communiqué issued at the end of an extraordinary Summit session in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, on April, 26, 2012 to examine the political, security, and humanitarian situations in Mali and Guinea Bissau, the Authority called on all States, especially the non-ECOWAS core countries, and partners wishing to support ECOWAS in the efforts to restore constitutional order and territorial integrity of Mali.
The Authority instructed the Commission to put in place a mechanism for consultation and coordination with partners for the mobilization of support towards this end.
The Summit noted the establishment of the transitional organs under the Framework Agreement, in particular the nomination of the Interim President, of the Prime Minister and the cabinet, and decided to limit the transition in Mali to a period of 12 months within which, a Presidential election shall be organized to choose a new president.
The Authority also extended the mandate of the transitional organs notably the Interim President, the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, by the same 12-month period to ensure, within the limits of powers conferred on each under the Constitution, the continuity of governance in the country. It reaffirmed its commitment to assist Mali and the neighboring Member States in responding to the humanitarian consequences of the rebellion.
The Authority therefore directed the Commission to take all necessary measures to mobilize resources to provide relief to the affected populations and to protect humanitarian corridors, as well as relief supplies and humanitarian actors, in consultation and cooperation with the core countries and the partners.
The Authority expressed gratitude to the Development Partners that have pledged financial, technical, and logistical support to the ECOWAS humanitarian and mediation efforts in Mali, and called on humanitarian agencies and the international community to intensify their assistance in this regard.
It also noted and endorsed the wish expressed by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, to join the Mediator, and President Blaise Compaore, of Burkina Faso in the efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Mali.
Authority reaffirms the fundamental principle of “Zero Tolerance” for power obtained or maintained by unconstitutional means, as well as the role of the military in a Democracy, as enshrined in the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.
On the political situation in Guinea Bissau, the Summit firmly condemned the coup d’étatof 12 April 2012 by the Military Command and its civilian associates, and denounced the disruption of the Presidential electoral process, as well as the detention of the Prime Minister and the Interim President by the Junta.
The Authority reiterated the ECOWAS denunciation of the 17 April 2012 Agreement establishing the so-called National Transitional Council, and reaffirms that ECOWAS would never recognize any unconstitutional transitional arrangement.
It demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the Prime Minister, Mr. Carlos Gomes Junior, the Interim President, Raimundo Pereira, and any other persons illegally detained by the Junta as well as the immediate restoration of constitutional order to allow for the completion of the electoral process.
The Authority urged all the stakeholders to submit to the mediation efforts of ECOWAS with a view to agreeing the modalities for a consensual transition through the holding of elections within 12 months in line with the written commitment of 16 April 2012 by the Military Command to accept the restoration of constitutional order, based on modalities to be worked out with the help of ECOWAS.
It instructed the Commission to deploy a contingent of the ECOWAS Standby Force in Guinea Bissau with immediate effect to, among other duties, facilitate the withdrawal of the Angolan Technical and Military Assistance Mission in Guinea Bissau (MISSANG), assist in securing the transitional process, and undertake preparatory work for the immediate implementation of the roadmap for the Defense and Security Sector Reform Program (DSSRP). To this end, Authority has approved the Mandate of the ESF in Guinea Bissau.
“Authority puts the Military Command on notice that if it fails to accede to all the demands put forward by Authority within the next 72 hours, ECOWAS shall impose, with immediate effect, targeted sanctions on members of the Military Command and their associates, as well as well as diplomatic, economic and financial sanctions on Guinea Bissau, and not excluding prosecution by the International Criminal Court (ICC).
“Authority also decides, in addition to the sanctions, to take all other necessary measures in the achievement of these objectives,’’ it said.
It approved a Regional Contact and Follow-up Group on Guinea Bissau to be chaired by Nigeria and comprising Benin, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Guinea, Senegal and Togo,to coordinate the follow-up on the implementation of the Decisions of the Summit on Guinea Bissau.
The Summit urged the Commission to expedite action on the implementation of the ECOWAS operational plan on drug trafficking, particularly in Guinea Bissau, through the mobilization of financial resources within and outside ECOWAS.
