ECOWAS to contribute 3,000 troops to Liberia

Accra, July 4, GNA - The ECOWAS Defence and Security Commission on Friday pledged to contribute 3,000 troops to a proposed 5,000 robust interventionist force to Liberia to enforce the June 17 ceasefire agreement signed by the three belligerent groups. The force, likely to be led by the US, a historic ally of Liberia, would later be transformed into a stabilization force to check any breach of the ceasefire agreement signed by the Liberian Government and the two rebel groups - Liberians United For Reconciliation and Development (LURD) and Movement For Democracy in Liberia (MODEL). These were contained in a Communique issued by the 11 Chiefs of Defence Staff from ECOWAS member countries at the end of their two-day meeting in Accra. The meeting was not attended by Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia and Guinea.

The communique was silent on the time frame for deployment, number of troops pledged by the participating countries and the proposed inclusion of South Africa and Morocco to the multi-national force. It estimated a budget of 104 million dollars for logistics and other requirements for the military operation anticipated to last for six months.

The meeting that was held at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College at Teshie in Accra behind closed-doors was on the theme: "Promoting Sub-Regional Peace And Security." Lt General Seth Obeng, Ghana's Chief of Staff and Chairman of the Commission said the meeting was proactive in coming out with the pledges and an operational plan awaiting the accent of ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council. He said the West African sub-region was capable of providing troops to any force that would emerge to operate in Liberia. "However, the limiting factor is financial and logistics constraints. "In this regard we can only appeal to the ECOWAS Secretariat to intensify its contacts with the international community for financial and logistics assistance to facilitate deployment in Liberia." General Obeng called on ECOWAS to liaise with the African Union to intensify political and diplomatic initiatives to bring US on board to spearhead the peace efforts in Liberia in the same manner Britain did for Sierra Leone and France for Cote d'Ivoire. "Let us continue to say a small prayer each day for the suffering masses of Liberia, whose only hope lies in what ECOWAS and the international community can do to save them."

Meanwhile General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Chief Mediator at the peace talks which resumed in Accra on Friday after a one-week break, is holding a series of meetings with the stakeholders of the Liberian crisis between Friday and Saturday to discuss their various memoranda for a comprehensive peace plan to end 12 years of bloody conflict. These include the International Contact Group on Liberia, the 18 political parties, women pressure groups, Liberia Bar Association, Liberia Inter-Religious Council, youth groups and refugees from the Gomoa Buduburam Camp. The rest are MODEL, LURD and the Liberian Government representatives.