Ecowas Commission delegation holds talks with Guinea leaders

A delegation of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) on Friday held talks with Guinean leaders as part of renewed efforts to resolve differences with the military junta.

The delegation headed by the Ecowas Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou arrived in the country on Thursday for the three-day visit.

It was received at the airport by the newly appointed Foreign Minister in the transitional government, Morissanda Kouyate.

The visit comes nearly two months after the bloc suspended the country as punishment for the overthrow of the government of former President Alpha Conde in September.

Ecowas has since ordered the military to hand back power within six months, among other conditions. But the junta and many Guineans say the time is inadequate.

Technical support

The junta has since named a civilian prime minister who is expected to form a transition government in line with a Transition Charter that outlines the roadmap to democratic governance.

In a Statement, Ecowas said that the delegation will be in the country up to Saturday and will hold talks on “assessing technical support for the current political transition”.

The statement also said the visit is part of implementation of the decisions of the Extraordinary Summit of heads of state on September 16, when Guinea was slammed with sanctions.

The delegation met with Junta leader Col. Mamady Doumbouya and Prime Minister Mohamed Beavogui, among others.

Mr Brou was quoted on Friday saying in Conakry that he and his delegation was ere in the country to find out how the bloc could help the country’s smooth transition to civilian rule.

He told journalists at a press conference that Ecowas wanted to see a “successful transition that helps the return to constitutional order.”

"The transition has produced a charter, important appointments have been made, and the government is gradually being set up. So we are here to meet with the authorities and take stock of the situation, and to see to what extent Ecowas can provide practical support to the process underway," Mr Brou said.

First meeting 

The transition government headed by Mohamed Beavogui is gradually taking shape, with the appointment of a few ministers, among them Foreign Affairs Minister Morissanda Kouyaté. He described the atmosphere around which the first meeting was held with the delegation as "calm,” noting that they were expecting to meet again.

“And I am sure that we will have fruitful discussions,” he added.

The mission is the third sent by Ecowas since the coup which ended 83-year-old Alpha Conde’s 11-year rule.

Doumbouya, the former head of the Special Forces unit within the Guinean army, was sworn in as interim president on 1 October and he has since promised to hand over power after elections to be held in an unspecified date.