Prime Minister Raila Odinga addressing journalists in his offfice
Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the African Union Mediator for the electoral crisis in Cote d’Ivoire, is scheduled to hold talks with the contenders for the country’s presidency Mr Laurent Gbabgbo and Mr Alassane Alassane Ouattara later this evening.Mr Odinga left Abuja for Abidjan in the afternoon where he is to meet Mr Gbabgbo before heading for another meeting with Mr Ouattara.
The PM also indicated today that he would be making efforts to meet or reach the leaders of other African states, particularly Ghana, Liberia, Mali and South Africa and interest them in the situation in Ivory Coast.
The PM, whoa arrived in Abuja yesterday held extended discussions at State House, Abuja, with President Nigerian President Jonathan Goodluck, the current Ecowas head, on how to speedily resolve the intensifying crisis.
The two leaders expressed confidence that a peaceful resolution of the crisis would be found. The key to it lay in honouring the expressed electoral will of the Ivorian people, and in African leaders continuing to speak with one voice in supporting the principled positions Ecowas and the African Union had agreed on.
They emphasized that the crisis in Cote d’Ivoire posed a continuing threat to the country, region and the entire continent, and so time was of the essence.
Mr. Odinga, who has a long history in supporting free and elections and has served as an international observer in many of them, indicated "the refusal to respect the will of the Ivorians as expressed in the November elections will deal a deadly blow to the wave of democracy that is sweeping Africa
"The resulting disillusionment with the electoral process would risk the spread of instability and insecurity on the continent," he warned.
President Jonathan and PM Odinga pointed out there were a record 17 presidential elections being held on African soil this year, and if the continent’s people came to believe that their votes were not what brought to powers the leaders they wanted, elections would become meaningless and pave the way for unrest and instability.
The continent must continue to speak with one voice if a greater crisis is to be averted, they stated, asserting that it was that common African voice that had seen the United Nations and the international community pledge support for the steps ECOWAS and the African Union had formulated.
Ecowas and AU member states must stay resolute in pushing forth with these agreed positions, they said. The two were aware that some cracks were developing as the crisis dragged on but were pleased that the vast majority of African states were committed to the agreements made.
"The only way forward to a peaceful Cote d’Ivoire lies in respecting the will of Ivorians as expressed in the outcome of the November elections which were certified as free and fair by the United Nations and other independent organizations.
The President of Ecowas, Ambassador J V Gbeho, was part of the discussions.
Mr. Odinga, who has a long history in supporting free and elections and has served as an international observer in many of them, indicated "the refusal to respect the will of the Ivorians as expressed in the November elections will deal a deadly blow to the wave of democracy that is sweeping Africa
"The resulting disillusionment with the electoral process would risk the spread of instability and insecurity on the continent," he warned.
President Jonathan and PM Odinga pointed out there were a record 17 presidential elections being held on African soil this year, and if the continent’s people came to believe that their votes were not what brought to powers the leaders they wanted, elections would become meaningless and pave the way for unrest and instability.
The continent must continue to speak with one voice if a greater crisis is to be averted, they stated, asserting that it was that common African voice that had seen the United Nations and the international community pledge support for the steps ECOWAS and the African Union had formulated.
Ecowas and AU member states must stay resolute in pushing forth with these agreed positions, they said. The two were aware that some cracks were developing as the crisis dragged on but were pleased that the vast majority of African states were committed to the agreements made.
"The only way forward to a peaceful Cote d’Ivoire lies in respecting the will of Ivorians as expressed in the outcome of the November elections which were certified as free and fair by the United Nations and other independent organizations.
The President of Ecowas, Ambassador J V Gbeho, was part of the discussions.
TheAfricanTeam
Nairobi
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