Odinga consults Mills over Ivory Coast

Thursday January 20, 2011

By Edmund Mingle
Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya, who is the African Union’s Mediator on Cote d’Ivoire, visited Ghana yesterday to consult President John Evans Atta Mills for the way forward in resolving the Ivorian crisis.

“Since Ghana is a major player in West Africa, I am here to brief you and seek your advise on the way forward to resolve this crisis,” he said.

Prime Minister Odinga, who was in Ghana after his second mediation visit to Cote d’Ivoire, and paying similar consultation visits to Sierra Leone, Benin and Nigeria, said it was regrettable that the two parties remained adamant.

Speaking to newsmen after holding closed door meeting with President Mills at the Castle, Prime Minister Odinga said there was an increasing uncertainty about the situation in Cote d’Ivoire.

“With the internal tensions and hardships already mounting and bound to escalate amid the destabilizing uncertainty about the future, time is running for an amicably negotiated settlement.

“Mr. Gbagbo must know that his actions may compel the friends of Cote d’Ivoire to resort to a different set of measures in support of democracy, security and stability in the country,” he said.

He said in spite of the setbacks which include Mr. Gbagbo’s refusal to lift the blockage over the Golf Hotel where Mr. Alhassane Quattara was residing, “I still remain hopeful that a peaceful resolution is within our grasp.”

He described the outcome of the meeting with President Mills as “very fruitful,” saying he was able to get a fuller understanding of Ghana’s stance on the Ivorian crisis.

He said contrary to the perception created in the foreign media that Ghana has broken ranks with ECOWAS by not providing troops for a military action to forcibly oust incumbent President Gbagbo who is said to have lost last November’s elections, it was clear that President Mills was in support of the resolution taken by ECOWAS to only use military force to resolve the matter after all avenues, including the use of dialogue have failed.

He said Ghana’s inability to contribute troops in case the military option is activated, was understandable because Ghana’s military has been outstretched with over 4000 men of peacekeeping operations including 500 troops serving with the UN to protect the Gold Hotel in Cote d’Ivoire.

President Mills, in his preliminary remarks before the meeting wnet into a closed session, commended the Prime Minister for the mediation role initiative, and pledged Ghana’s support in that regard.

He described the peace mission embarked on by Mr. Odinga as “very important,” saying he believes he has the requisite experience to helping in bringing the two factions in Cote d’Ivoire to the negotiation table.

“We will support any initiative taken to peacefully resolve the crisis,” he said, adding that “we stand by initiatives taken by ECOWAS to achieve peace in that country.”

The political crisis had divided Cote d’Ivoire into two as incumbent President Gbagba and opposition leader Alassane Quattara, recognized by the international community as winner of the elections, are both laying claim to that country’s presidency.