ETHIOPIA: Africa Union leaders to set up panel to resolve Ivorian crisis

Record ID: 182060

  • Title: ETHIOPIA: Africa Union leaders to set up panel to resolve Ivorian crisis
  • Date: 30th January 2011
  • Summary: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (JANUARY 28, 2011) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT ROBERT MUGABE ARRIVING AT AFRICA UNION PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL (AUPSC) SUMMIT SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA ARRIVING KENYAN PRIME MINISTER RAILA ODINGA ARRIVING DELEGATES MILLING AROUND MUGABE LEAVING MEETING ROOM ZUMA LEAVING WITH ODINGA (SOUNDBITE) (French) MAURITANIAN PRESIDENT, MOHAMED OULD ABDEL AZIZ, SAYING: "Our objective was to find an African solution to an African problem which can only be solved through the wisdom, African wisdom, African culture and African values. We have decided to set up under the authority of the African Union a panel to solve the crisis in conditions that will preserve democracy and peace. This panel will conclude its work within a time frame which will not exceed one month and its conclusions will be endorsed by the Peace and Security Council and will be binding on all the Ivorian parties." ODINGA ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) KENYAN PRIME MINISTER, RAILA ODINGA SAYING: "Africa will never have a stable political base unless we internalize the democratic culture of ceding power after losing in a competitive electoral process. If one's vote does not count in determining who will lead a nation, which is the most elemental dimension of democracy, elections will become meaningless, democracy will lose its luster, and the future will be riddled with widespread unrest and instability. In conclusion, this summit must send a strong and unequivocal message that the two parties must negotiate face to face. Every day lost in moving forward towards a peaceful resolution of the crisis makes more imminent the spectre of further threats to peace and security in the Cote d'Ivoire and in the region. That in turn would also create new continent wide divisions. Inaction poses the greatest peril in this crisis." WIDE OF RAILA WITH MEDIA
  • Embargoed: 14th February 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ethiopia, Ethiopia
  • Country: Ethiopia
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAAP206BKOYI1Z494RBU3DBKQGH
  • Story Text: Africa Union leaders agree to set up a panel to come up with a solution to the Ivorian stalemate within a month. The panels findings would be final and legally binding.
    The African Union said on Friday (January 28) it would form a panel of heads of state to solve the leadership crisis in Ivory Coast and that it would come up with a legally binding settlement within one month.
    "We have decided to set up under the authority of the African Union a panel to solve the crisis in conditions that will preserve democracy and peace. This panel will conclude its work within a time frame which will not exceed one month and its conclusions will be endorsed by the Peace and Security Council and will be binding on all the Ivorian parties," Mauritanian president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz told reporters after a day long meeting of the Africa Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC.) The meeting was also attended by South African president Jacob Zuma, Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, as well as Kenyan Prime Minister and AU mediator for Ivory Coast, Raila Odinga.
    Earlier in the day Odinga had insisted that the Ivory Coast's rivals for the presidency hold face-to-face talks to resolve the post-election crisis.
    "This summit must send a strong and unequivocal message that the two parties must negotiate face to face. Every day lost in moving forward towards a peaceful resolution of the crisis makes more imminent the spectre of further threats to peace and security in the Cote d'Ivoire and in the region. That in turn would also create new continent wide divisions. Inaction poses the greatest peril in this crisis," Odinga said.
    Opposition presidential candidate Alassane Ouattara was recognised by world leaders as the winner of a Nov. 28 election, but incumbent Laurent Gbagbo refused to step aside after the Constitutional Council said he was the victor.
    Mauritania currently chairs the African Union's Peace and Security Council.
    Abdel Aziz said there would be five heads of state on the panel and that he would chair the panel.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register