247 Soldiers for Cote d’Ivoire

Ghana is to deploy 247 soldiers to Cote d’Ivoire next Saturday as part of an ECOWAS Peacekeeping Force. Already, two senior military officers, Lt. Col. R.Y. Odoi and Major J. B. Kpierele, have left Accra on board a French transport aircraft to Abidjan to join other officers to finalise plans for the deployment of the troops within the operational area. The Defence Minister, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, disclosed this in an interview in Accra yesterday. He said Britain has indicated her readiness to support the Ghanaian soldiers while the French Government will support the entire force. Participating Troops

Ghana is to deploy 247 soldiers to Cote d’Ivoire next Saturday as part of an ECOWAS Peacekeeping Force. Already, two senior military officers, Lt. Col. R.Y. Odoi and Major J. B. Kpierele, have left Accra on board a French transport aircraft to Abidjan to join other officers to finalise plans for the deployment of the troops within the operational area. The Defence Minister, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, disclosed this in an interview in Accra yesterday. He said Britain has indicated her readiness to support the Ghanaian soldiers while the French Government will support the entire force. Participating Troops In all, 1,288 soldiers from five countries in the West African sub-region will take part in the operation. They are made up of 259 from Benin, 259 from Togo, 248 from Nigeria and 209 from Senegal. Dr Addo-Kufuor explained that the total number of the contingent was agreed upon at a meeting of Defence Chiefs of countries contributing the troops in Abuja on November 6 and 7.

He said already, the French Government has deployed troops from the French Legion along the frontline to separate the belligerent troops. He said it has also placed its transport resources at the disposal of ECOWAS. Dr Addo-Kufuor said ECOWAS Chiefs of the Defence Staff have also met to give guidance for the establishment of the force structure.

He hinted that ECOWAS and the various troops-contributing countries are to benefit from the support of some Western countries which have earmarked countries where their support could be channelled. He said the United States of America will support the entire ECOWAS effort with surplus equipment in a depot in Sierra Leone and intends to make available a $2 million grant, while Germany intends to support troops from Benin and Senegal. Dr Addo-Kufuor said Canada is ready to support the entire ECOWAS force by absorbing feeding expenses and allowances for the first six months for a total of 2,000 soldiers. The minister stated that there is the need for compromise in the ongoing deliberation to find a lasting solution to the Ivorian crisis.

He was of the view that the time has come for ECOWAS heads of state and the Western powers, especially France, to urge President Laurent Gbagbo to meet with stakeholders, such as Mr. Konan Bedie and Mr. Allasane Quattara, to collaborate to ensure the return of peace to Cote d’Ivoire. The minister’s opinion is that a consensus among the three leading Ivorian politicians will create the favourable atmosphere needed for the speedy resolution of the conflict.