West African nations will play an immediate role in conflict-ridden
Liberia while other countries will eventually follow suit and
deploy troops, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said in Maputo
yesterday.
"The immediate leading role in Liberia will be taken up by Ecowas(a west African regional bloc), and they enjoy the full support of the African Union (AU)," Annan told reporters on the sidelines of an AU meeting in Mozambique.
"Eventually we expect troops from other parts of Africa to contribute," he added.
Ghanaian Foreign Minister Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo later said: "We are looking at a timeframe of 10 to 14 days and a total force of 1 000 to 1 500".
"As we speak the modalities are being worked out," said the minister, who was in Maputo.
"We are hammering out the details of how large the initial force will be and which countries will contribute to it".
Annan was speaking before meeting the incoming president of the AU, Joachim Chissano of Mozambique, to discuss wars on the continent, a key issue at a three-day AU summit starting today.
In Pretoria, US President George W Bush said earlier in the day that he would not overstretch US forces already on manpower-intensive missions with a major deployment in Liberia, but that Washington would work with west African states and the United Nations to bolster a ceasefire.
Annan said: "The US haven't indicated fully what role they will play but I expect them to take the right decision and grant support".
Liberia has been embroiled in warfare since a conflict erupted in 1990 that lasted until 1997 when former warlord Charles Taylor was elected president.
Two years later the rebel Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy plunged the country into its latest war in a bid to topple Taylor.
Annan suggested last month that the US lead a peacekeeping force to the country founded in the 19th century by freed American slaves.
West African defence chiefs approved the setting up of a 3 000-strong "interpositional force" to keep the peace in Liberia on July 4.
A meeting of regional chiefs of defence staff in the Ghanaian capital Accra called for a force totalling 5 000 personnel, and called on the US, South Africa and Morocco to provide the extra troops, Ecowas announced.
Ecowas executive secretary Mohammed Ibn Chambas told the meeting that the three countries had been asked to provide assistance and expressed the hope that the United States would be the "lead development partner" in the force.
"Ecowas member states have pledged to contribute 3 000 troops to an interpositional force that will secure the June 17, 2003 ceasefire signed by... the three parties to the conflict," the statement said.
Last month Taylor's government and two rebel groups signed a ceasefire deal in Accra in talks mediated by Ecowas, the 15-member Economic Community of West African States, but the ceasefire has since been broken several times.
"The force will establish zones of separation among the parties to the conflict," the Ecowas statement said.
A report presented to the meeting of generals estimated the cost of a six month deployment of the force at $104-million.
It would also need to be "robust" and increase to 5 000 troops with the hoped-for addition of US and other personnel because of the difficulties of the Liberian terrain, it said.
In over a decade of civil conflict Liberia has seen more than 200 000 people killed as Taylor first fought his way to power then battled on to cling to office in the face of a rebellion against his rule.
The former warlord has been indicted by a UN-mandated court for war crimes he allegedly instigated in neighbouring Sierra Leone, and his continued grip on power is seen as an obstacle to the peace process.
Taylor accepted an offer of asylum in Nigeria on July 6, but said he would not go there until US peacekeepers were on the ground in Liberia.
Ecowas has sent its own peacekeepers to Liberia before, with mixed results, and is now keen to see an international partner - preferably the US - come along to provide cash, fire power and logistics. - Sapa-AFP.
"The immediate leading role in Liberia will be taken up by Ecowas(a west African regional bloc), and they enjoy the full support of the African Union (AU)," Annan told reporters on the sidelines of an AU meeting in Mozambique.
"Eventually we expect troops from other parts of Africa to contribute," he added.
Ghanaian Foreign Minister Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo later said: "We are looking at a timeframe of 10 to 14 days and a total force of 1 000 to 1 500".
"As we speak the modalities are being worked out," said the minister, who was in Maputo.
"We are hammering out the details of how large the initial force will be and which countries will contribute to it".
Annan was speaking before meeting the incoming president of the AU, Joachim Chissano of Mozambique, to discuss wars on the continent, a key issue at a three-day AU summit starting today.
In Pretoria, US President George W Bush said earlier in the day that he would not overstretch US forces already on manpower-intensive missions with a major deployment in Liberia, but that Washington would work with west African states and the United Nations to bolster a ceasefire.
Annan said: "The US haven't indicated fully what role they will play but I expect them to take the right decision and grant support".
Liberia has been embroiled in warfare since a conflict erupted in 1990 that lasted until 1997 when former warlord Charles Taylor was elected president.
Two years later the rebel Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy plunged the country into its latest war in a bid to topple Taylor.
Annan suggested last month that the US lead a peacekeeping force to the country founded in the 19th century by freed American slaves.
West African defence chiefs approved the setting up of a 3 000-strong "interpositional force" to keep the peace in Liberia on July 4.
A meeting of regional chiefs of defence staff in the Ghanaian capital Accra called for a force totalling 5 000 personnel, and called on the US, South Africa and Morocco to provide the extra troops, Ecowas announced.
Ecowas executive secretary Mohammed Ibn Chambas told the meeting that the three countries had been asked to provide assistance and expressed the hope that the United States would be the "lead development partner" in the force.
"Ecowas member states have pledged to contribute 3 000 troops to an interpositional force that will secure the June 17, 2003 ceasefire signed by... the three parties to the conflict," the statement said.
Last month Taylor's government and two rebel groups signed a ceasefire deal in Accra in talks mediated by Ecowas, the 15-member Economic Community of West African States, but the ceasefire has since been broken several times.
"The force will establish zones of separation among the parties to the conflict," the Ecowas statement said.
A report presented to the meeting of generals estimated the cost of a six month deployment of the force at $104-million.
It would also need to be "robust" and increase to 5 000 troops with the hoped-for addition of US and other personnel because of the difficulties of the Liberian terrain, it said.
In over a decade of civil conflict Liberia has seen more than 200 000 people killed as Taylor first fought his way to power then battled on to cling to office in the face of a rebellion against his rule.
The former warlord has been indicted by a UN-mandated court for war crimes he allegedly instigated in neighbouring Sierra Leone, and his continued grip on power is seen as an obstacle to the peace process.
Taylor accepted an offer of asylum in Nigeria on July 6, but said he would not go there until US peacekeepers were on the ground in Liberia.
Ecowas has sent its own peacekeepers to Liberia before, with mixed results, and is now keen to see an international partner - preferably the US - come along to provide cash, fire power and logistics. - Sapa-AFP.
Advertisement
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
