US embassy cable - 05ACCRA151

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ACCRA 000151 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AORC, EAGR, EAID, ECON, GH, PGOV, PREL, ECOWAS 
SUBJECT: ECOWAS MEETINGS IN ACCRA: NIGER NEW ECOWAS CHAIR 
 
 
1.  Summary:  A round of ECOWAS statutory meetings in Accra 
January 10-19 culminated in the 28th Summit of ECOWAS Heads 
of State and Government.  ECOWAS heads of state unanimously 
selected President Mamdou Tadja of Niger as the new ECOWAS 
Chairman.  There was candid discussion of regional conflicts 
and of the need to give women greater prominence in all 
areas.  The Council of Ministers adopted an ECOWAS Common 
Agriculture Policy.  USAID/WARP funded many of the programs 
highlighted in the ECOWAS meetings. End summary. 
 
2.  On January 19, the heads of state of the 15 ECOWAS 
countries met in Accra to select a new Chairman and review 
progress on a range of issues.  The summit was preceded by 
meetings of the Technical Committee (WAMA), Committee of 
Governors, Convergence Council, Council of Ministers, and 
Ministers of Foreign Affairs.  Prior to the ECOWAS meeting, 
some 100 civil society representatives from the ECOWAS region 
met in Accra to prepare advocacy positions for the summit. 
 
Speakers at the events highlighted several themes: 
 
Kudos to Ghana 
-------------- 
 
3.  Ghana and President Kufuor received praise for its 
positive leadership in West Africa as two-time chair of 
ECOWAS.  Ghana was also praised for holding free and fair 
elections in December, 2004, while Kufuor was commended for 
his work in helping resolve conflicts in Liberia, Guinea 
Bissau and Cote d'Ivoire. 
 
ECOWAS Achievements 
------------------- 
 
4.  At the Heads of State Summit opening, ECOWAS Executive 
Secretary Mohamed Ibn Chambas highlighted ECOWAS' 
 
SIPDIS 
achievements over the years:  progress toward abolishing visa 
requirements within ECOWAS, a Customs Union by 2008, and a 
single currency; launching of the West Africa Gas Pipeline 
and the West Africa Power Pool in 2004, movement toward a 
common IT backbone and contributions to regional 
peacekeeping.  Chambas noted that West Africa had embraced 
the NEPAD framework and welcomed the UN's role in regional 
peacekeeping.  However, ECOWAS members need to do more to 
incorporate a regional strategy into national policy 
frameworks, he added.  Ghanaian President Kufuor also noted 
the region's commitment to the Millennium Challenge goals, 
"people-centered" policies, gender equality, and youth 
development.  Ghanaian Foreign Minister Akufo Addo noted 
progress in 2004 in resolving conflict in Senegal, Liberia, 
Guinea Bissau, as well as the success of elections in Niger 
and Ghana. 
 
More Action Needed to Reduce Conflict 
------------------------------------- 
 
5.  The need for more action to reduce conflict was a 
prominent theme.  A message read from UN Secretary General 
Kofi Annan noted the reduced intensity of conflict in the 
region and improvements in the ability of ECOWAS to manage 
conflict.  However, the Cote d'Ivoire situation is "very 
tense", with some actors unwilling to act toward peace.  The 
situations in Liberia and Guinea Bissau require sustained 
attention, while Sierra Leone needs to improve on progress 
toward peace, he said.   He encouraged countries to reform 
their security services, fight corruption and impunity, and 
cooperate with civil society.  He noted the region's main 
challenges:  locusts, youth unemployment, urbanization, HIV 
and lawlessness. 
 
6.  Chambas praised progress in DDRR in Liberia and said 
ECOWAS would remain engaged in the country.  On Cote d'Ivoire 
he praised the work of South African President Mbeki and 
hoped for renewed peace efforts.  ECOWAS is opening an office 
in Guinea Bissau, with help from the EU and the Netherlands. 
Chambas stressed the priority of ECOWAS work related to 
conflicts, including creation of a Standby force, an Early 
Warning System, and support to  elections in Niger, Guinea 
Bissau and Ghana. 
 
7.  Kufuor pointed to ECOWAS' successes in reducing conflict 
but said the "continuing intransigence" of some undermines 
security and progress in the entire region, urging such 
leaders to "search their hearts".  Ghana's Foreign Minister 
said there could be no military solution to the Ivorian 
crisis.  The summit's final document called for continued 
international support for Liberia, reaffirmed confidence in 
the Linas-Marcousis and Accra II accords regarding Cote 
d'Ivoire (and expressed support for UN and AU mediation 
efforts), and pointed to the need for security sector reform 
and credible elections in Guinea Bissau. In his acceptance 
speech as new ECOWAS Chair, Nigerien President Tadja pledged 
to continue with peace initiatives and urged factions in Cote 
d'Ivoire to work for peace. 
 
The Economic Agenda 
------------------- 
 
8.  ECOWAS leaders adopted an ECOWAS Common Agriculture 
Policy covering agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry, 
and natural resource management.  The goal of the policy is 
reportedly to boost sustainable regional food security, 
rational management of natural resources, and decent 
remuneration for agricultural operations and expansion of 
agricultural trade on a regional and global basis.  The 
leaders also adopted a revised Master Plan for the 
development of electricity generation and transmission (with 
a regional electricity regulatory regime).  They also agreed 
to accelerate the liberalization of regional aviation, 
including the creation of an air transport unit within 
ECOWAS.  The also discussed West African telecommunication 
issues. 
 
9.  President Kufuor noted the need for a "more practical 
date" beyond July, 2005 for currency convergence.  West 
Africa needs to pursue a common position in WTO meetings and 
reach common agreements with the European Union, he stated. 
He stressed the importance of infrastructure (such as a 
Nouakchott to Lagos highway) and of the private sector. 
 
More Prominence to Women 
------------------------ 
 
10.  Women leaders were given prominence at the opening 
ceremony of the Heads of State Summit. A group of regional 
women leaders addressed the plenary.  They noted ECOWAS' 
support for women and urged ECOWAS to integrate women more 
into peacekeeping efforts. As one speaker noted, women have 
not been involved in ECOWAS conflict resolution because there 
are no female heads of state in West Africa, although she 
acknowledged the female Vice President of Gambia.  Speakers 
highlighted as priorities for women in the region:  poverty 
reduction, equal rights, peace and security, and women's 
health.  Nigerian President Obasanjo, speaking as AU 
Chairman, also took note of the importance of women in Africa. 
 
Thanks to Partners 
------------------ 
 
11.  Speakers thanked the UN, African Union, and 
international donors.  President Kufuor stressed support from 
the U.S., UK, France, and the EU.  He hoped development 
partners do not get fatigued by the region's conflicts. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
12.  Despite some disorganization and delays, the 
back-to-back ECOWAS meetings went well.  There was 
significant lobbying and debate about the choice of the new 
Chairman.  Speakers were candid about the difficulties in 
resolving regional conflicts and the drag these conflicts 
have on economic progress.  Kufuor's remark about 
"intransigent" leaders in Cote d'Ivoire was pointed (as he 
made this comment, television cameras panned in on a passive 
Laurent Gbagbo).  The acknowledgment of civil society and 
women was a positive development.  Observers expressed some 
frustration at the slow pace of currency conversion and some 
of the other economic goals.   Nonetheless, this week's 
meetings underscored the progress ECOWAS has made as an 
organization.  As one advisor to ECOWAS put it to us, "a year 
ago, ECOWAS could never have pulled off this kind of 
meeting." With the exception of the trans-national road, the 
economic achievements cited by the key speakers at the ECOWAS 
meeting, including the Common Agricultural Policy, were 
projects that were jointly initiated by USAID and ECOWAS that 
have subsequently garnered support from other donors and the 
private sector. 
 
 
YATES