By RFIPosted on 08-11-2019Modified on 08-11-2019 at 14:33
The ECOWAS is gathered, this Friday, November 8, in extraordinary summit in Niamey in Niger to speak about the political crisis in Guinea-Bissau. The West African organization does not support President José Mario Vaz's recent move to change prime minister and government shortly before the presidential election on 24 November.
The eight heads of state and two vice-presidents have been in the committee room since this morning. They discuss in camera the reports prepared by the Guinea-Bissau mission of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee of the Economic Community of West African States.
Guinea-Bissau is represented only by its Minister of Foreign Affairs. Prime Minister Aristides Gomes, supported by the ECOWAS and refused by President Mario Vaz , did not make the trip to Niamey.
A strong message for Bissau
In opening the proceedings, the current president of the ECOWAS, Mahamadou Issoufou said that the country is currently experiencing a " situation of serious political and national crisis with disastrous consequences for the country and the sub-region. ECOWAS is facing a situation of destabilization of Guinea-Bissau with real risks of civil war , "he added.
The summit of Niamey must send to the protagonists, it is said, a very clear message: " The ECOWAS can not tolerate for any reason the destabilization of a Member State ". The heads of state gathered in Niamey fear above all the risks of confrontation between the various national defense and security forces without forgetting the support force at the head of the ECOWAS.
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