Veep in Nigeria for an Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State

Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on Saturday evening arrived in Abuja- Nigeria to attend an Extraordinary Summit of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to be held on Sunday, November 11.

Representing President John Dramani Mahama, the Veep would participate in crucial deliberations on the political and military situation in Mali and Guinea Bissau.

The Heads of State Summit follows recent UN Security Council Resolution 2071 of 12 October, and the Communiqué of the 339th meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU) of 24 October, mandating urgent political actions by the UN Secretary General, ECOWAS and the AU towards a full resolution of the crises in Mali and Guinea Bissau.

Ahead of Sunday’s meeting, Lt General Joseph Henry Smith, Defence Minister and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Mr. Chris Kpodo, participated in a meeting of ECOWAS Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence during an Extraordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council on Friday.

The deliberation was on reports of the Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff, relative to the operational concept for the swift deployment of an ECOWAS stabilisation force in Mali in light of the UN Resolution.