The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa, Said Djinnit met on Wednesday in Abidjan with Mr Alassane Ouattara, President of Côte d'Ivoire and President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). They exchanged on the evolution of the political and security situation in West Africa in the last few months.
The Special Representative informed President Ouattara on his efforts as International Facilitator for the Guinean political dialogue in preparation to the legislative elections. He also briefed the President on the conclusions of the last meeting of the follow-up and support group (FSG) on the situation in Mali which took place in Bamako on 19 April 2013 and is co-chaired of ECOWAS, the United Nations and the African Union.
The President and the Special Representative talked about issues related to the up coming transfer, from the African Force in support of Mali (AFISMA) to a United Nations stabilization Mission, once the resolution under discussion at the Security Council is adopted. They also exchanged on initiatives which could be undertaken in support to the Malian Authority to promote dialogue and create favorable conditions for the holding of the Presidential elections in July 2013.
The President Ouattara and Said Djinnit also discussed challenges posed in the sub-region by organized crime, drug trafficking, piracy and terrorism. In this regards, they talked about ECOWAS efforts to be supported in order to address these scourges. They underscored the need to strengthen sub-regional, continental and international cooperation to efficiently combat these new threats to peace and security in West Africa.
Said Djinnit exchanged with the President on the organization, in Abidjan, in June 2013, of the donors conference in support to the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan to Combat Drug Trafficking, Organized Crime and Drug Abuse as well as the West Africa Coast Initiative (WACI) Program which was created by the UN and Interpol to back the efforts of the countries involved in the initial phase of the program - Liberia, Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea Bissau and Guinea - in implementing the ECOWAS Action Plan. The WACI Policy Committee chaired by the Special Representative of the Secretary General for West Africa will take place on the margins of the conference in Abidjan.
Special Representative reiterated the support of the United Nations to the efforts of ECOWAS towards peace and security in West Africa.
