Guterres commends ECOWAS for role in Gambia's peaceful transition
The 28th African Union Summit opened in Ethiopia Monday with United Nations Secretary, General Antonio Guterres, commending the ‘extraordinary’ unity and leadership showed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in defending democracy in The Gambia by peacefully ousting former President Yahya Jammeh after weeks of political stalemate. In his maiden address to the AU Summit as UN Secretary General, Mr. Guterres said the unity in ECOWAS and the restraint of the people of The Gambia in the face of possible conflict was commendable. The extraordinary union showed by ECOWAS is even a lesson to the world,” he said, echoing statements earlier by outgoing AU Commission Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma also applauding ECOWAS ‘for making Africa proud. Mr. Guterres, who told African Union leaders that he was attending their summit ‘to listen, learn and work with you for the people of Africa and the wider world’, outlined several areas where the UN and Africa could work together to improve the lives of the ordinary people. Ms. Dlamini-Zuma led the assembled leaders in honouring ECOWAS for ensuring a peaceful transition in the Gambia. Liberian President Johnson Sirleaf received a present on behalf of ECOWAS from the AU.
| Format: | Press release biblioteca |
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| Language: | eng |
| Published: |
2017-01
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10855/37661 |
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