CMAG Declarations

Message to the Chairman of the Foreign Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Committee of Five on Sierra Leone from the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration
12 September 1997

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration (CMAG) met in London on 11-12 September 1997. This was the Group's eighth meeting since its creation by Commonwealth Heads of Government at their New Zealand Meeting in November 1995.

The Group unanimously adopted its Report and agreed that before making it public it would be submitted to Commonwealth Heads of Government, who will be meeting in Edinburgh next month. The Report included a set of conclusions and recommendations covering the situations in the three countries currently under CMAG's remit, viz. The Gambia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. They also made recommendations in respect of CMAG's own future composition, terms of reference and operation, which Heads of Government had undertaken to review every two years.

The Group addressed a message to the Foreign Ministers of the Economic Community of Western African States Committee of Five on Sierra Leone and members of the United Nations Security Council regarding the situation in Sierra Leone, which is attached to this Press Release.

CMAG decided that it would have a further meeting on 23 October 1997, on the eve of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Edinburgh to consider whether developments in the interim period warranted any changes in their recommendations.

Message to the Chairman of the Foreign Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Committee of Five on Sierra Leone from the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration 12 September 1997

At the Eighth Meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration (CMAG) held in London on 11 and 12 September 1997, the Group reviewed recent developments in Sierra Leone and the efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore the legitimate government of President Tejan Kabbah.

Mindful that the Foreign Ministers of the ECOWAS Committee of Five on Sierra Leone are to present to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) the decisions on further measures taken at the 28 - 29 August 1997 ECOWAS Summit of Heads of State and Government, and to seek its support for these measures, the Group decided to request you to convey to your colleagues on the ministerial delegation and to the UNSC the following:

CMAG welcomes the decision taken by ECOWAS Heads of State and Government to take further measures against the military junta in Sierra Leone, in accordance with the decision taken by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and in co-ordination with the United Nations. In this regard, the Group wishes to convey its support for the efforts of the ECOWAS Committee of Five on Sierra Leone towards the peaceful resolution of the Sierra Leone crisis and the immediate reinstatement of the democratically elected government.

The Group urges the wider international community to support the objectives of these efforts and calls upon the military regime to co-operate fully with ECOWAS in order to ensure the early restoration of peace and legitimacy in Sierra Leone.

I.S.G. Mudenge
Chairman
Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration

Issued by the Information and Public Affairs Division,
Commonwealth Secretariat,
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97/47 12 September 1997