STATEMENT BY THE RIGHT HON. RAILA A ODINGA, PRIME MINISTER OF KENYA AND AFRICAN UNION MEDIATOR FOR THE IVORIAN CRISIS

As you read this, you probably know that the stupid coalition politics that were in Kenya for the better part of 2008 to 2009 are back. Now the President and the Prime Minister are accusing each other. But all the same, we know that, the PM has been doing some mediation of sorts in Ivory Coast.

What is it they say about the log in your eye and the speck in someone else's eye? But then, I guess, only fresh elections will help solve the problem. I hear a group consisting Mugabe and some strongmen was appointed. Anyway, let's see how it all pans out.

STATEMENT BY THE RIGHT HON. RAILA A ODINGA, PRIME MINISTER OF KENYA AND AFRICAN UNION MEDIATOR FOR THE IVORIAN CRISIS

As you know, I travelled to Addis Ababa to present my report on my efforts as African Union mediator for the Cote d”Ivoire crisis to the heads of state summit of the AU Peace and Security Council. Among those participating were Presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Jacob Zuma, Robert Mugabe, Blaise Campaore of Burkina Faso, and Mr. Victor Gbeho, President of the ECOWAS Commission. I participated as the AU mediator and as the head of the Kenya delegation.

The meeting lasted five hours and provided an opportunity for the heads of state to consider the recommendations made by me, as well as those by the ECOWAS heads of state mission, and by former Presidents Thabo Mbeki and Olesegun Obasanjo. It was an extremely frank discussion and the Council adopted by consensus a set of key, strategic recommendations on the way forward.

I am pleased to say that my own report’s central recommendations featured in the Council’s priorities. These included the centrality of finding a peaceful resolution of the crisis and respecting the will of the Ivorian people as expressed by their electing Mr. Alassane Ouattara as president-elect on 28th October. The Council also demanded that the siege of the Golf Hotel, where President-elect Alassane Ouattara has been blockaded since the election, be immediately lifted.

The Council strongly condemned the abuses and violations of human rights and any calls and actions which threaten or intimidate, and condemned also the obstruction of the peacekeeping activities of the United Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. The Council also emphasized the importance creating long term stability and reconciliation by addressing all the underlying issues which divide the Ivorian people.

To implement the Summit’s recommendations, the Council decided to create a High-Level Panel whose composition will be decided at the full AU summit which begins tomorrow.

The Council’s communiqué of the meeting and my own report to the African Union will be copied and made available at my office shortly.

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