The Heads of State and Government, meeting for the third time at an extraordinary summit to discuss the political situation in Guinea, have invited the transitional authorities to present “as soon as possible,” a timetable for the elections.
In Guinea, the transitional charter came into effect on September 28. Three days later, Colonel Mamady Doumbouya was sworn in as president of the transition. Since then, the author of the September 5 coup against Alpha Conde has appointed a civilian Prime Minister and formed a government for a transition, the duration of which is still unknown.
In the final communiqué of the Summit, held on November 7 in Accra, Ghana, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government took note of these “latest developments.”
The Summit asked the transitional authorities to list, in a timetable, the activities to be carried out to ensure the holding of elections. To encourage them to follow the directives aimed at restoring constitutional order, the West African leaders maintained “the suspension of Guinea from all ECOWAS bodies, in addition to the travel ban and the freezing of the financial assets of members of the CNRD (National Committee for Recovery and Development) and their families.”
Speaking on the fate of deposed president Alpha Conde, the Conference of Heads of State and Government demanded “his immediate and unconditional release”. And in order to support “dialogue with the transitional authorities and promote the success of a transition process as soon as possible,” the Ghanaian diplomat, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, has been appointed Special Envoy to Guinea.
Earlier, the current ECOWAS Chairman, Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana had presented to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government a report on the results of his visit to Guinea with Alassane Ouattara on September 17 and his trip to Mali on October 17.
The regional bloc also reviewed the memorandum on the political situation in Guinea presented by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou. Alassane Ouattara, Umaro Sissoco Embalo, Mohamed Bazoum and Macky Sall, respectively presidents of Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Niger and Senegal attended the meeting in Accra.
So did Mariam Chabi Talata, Vice President of Benin, Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President of Nigeria, Seedy Keita, Gambian Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, and Dee-Maxwell Seah Kemayah, Liberian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Dussey, Togo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Togolese Abroad, Belarmino Silva, Cabo Verde’s Ambassador to Nigeria and Francess Virginia Anderson, Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner in Ghana.
ID/fss/abj/APA