ECOWAS summon extra ordinary summit on Guinea, Niger
LAGOS, Oct. 15 (Xinhua/GNA) - Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Chairman and Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua invites the heads of state and governments of the 16-member bloc to an extra- ordinary summit in the capital Abuja on Oct. 17.
The meeting is to discuss the political situation in Guinea and Niger, both of which are members of the bloc, the News Agency of Nigeria reported on Wednesday.
Nigeria's junior foreign affairs minister, Bargudu Hirse, was quoted as saying the summit was aimed at finding a way to resolve the crises in Guinea and Niger.
Hirse spoke Tuesday at the end of the eighth session of the International Contact Group on Guinea (ICG-G) in Abuja.
"President and current Chair of ECOWAS has approved that a special extra- ordinary summit be convened on Oct. 17 in Abuja to discuss the situation in Guinea and Niger Republic," he said.
There has been tension in Guinea where Capt. Moussa Camara, who took over power in a bloodless coup following the death of President Lasana Conte in December 2008, has declared his intention to contest in the forthcoming presidential election.
His bid to run caused a bloodshed in the Guinean capital Conakry, where soldiers opened fire at protestors on Sept. 28. A local human rights group reported more than 150 people were killed and over 1250 others injured. The military junta put the death toll at 57.
The ICG-G on Monday gave him till Oct. 17 to declare in writing whether he would be contesting the election or not.
Political unrests are also reported in Niger, where President Mamadou Tandja has decided to go for a third term, after amending the country's constitution to enable him to achieve the objective.
GNA