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Gbagbo Adviser: AU Investigation of Ivorian Crisis Welcomed

   Peter Clottey  February 09, 2011
   Laurent Gbagbo (Dec 2010 file photo)

Photo: Reuters

   Laurent Gbagbo (Dec 2010 file photo)

   A  special  adviser to embattled Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo said
   the arrival of African Union (AU) experts to investigate and find ways
   to  resolve  the crisis shows, in his words, an indictment and failure
   of  the  Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to end the
   political impasse.

   Ambassador  Yao  Gnamien,  who  is in New York to seek support for his
   administration,  told  VOA Mr. Gbagbo is gaining support among African
   leaders about finding solutions to the Ivorian crisis.

   âThe  presence  of  the  AU  experts is very important for our country
   because,  at  the  beginning,  President  Gbagbo  was calling for this
   investigation,   because   the   so-called   international   community
   sanctioned  President  Gbagbo without proving that he is guilty,â said
   Gnamien.

   âThe stay in Cote dâIvoire of the (AU) experts will tell all the world
   what  was going on in Cote dâIvoire after the (November) election, and
   then we will see whether the president was guilty or not.â

   His  comments  came  after James Victor Gbeho, president of the ECOWAS
   commission,  said  South  Africa is undermining efforts to resolve the
   Ivory  Coast  political  crisis.  Mr.  Gbeho criticized South Africa's
   decision to deploy a Navy frigate to Ivory Coast. He said such actions
   âcan only complicateâ the situation.
   But,  South African officials say the frigate is a support vessel with
   no  military  purpose,  which  could  be  used  as  a neutral site for
   negotiating.Â
   South  Africa  is  part  of  an  AU  mediation  team given the task of
   resolving the Ivorian political impasse.
   Gbeho  accused  South  Africa  of pushing the two sides to negotiate a
   solution  because  of  its own interests instead of demanding that Mr.
   Gbagbo cede power.

   President  Gbagbo  is refusing to cede power to rival, President-elect
   Alassane  Ouattara,  who most countries recognize as the winner of the
   November presidential election.

   Gnamien  said  that the outcome of the investigation has to conform to
   the  Ivorian  constitution,  which  he said is the âsupreme law of the
   land.â

   âIf the AU came to Cote dâIvoire, it was because of the failure of the
   ECOWAS.  ECOWAS  failed  to  solve  the problem. How can they sanction
   President   Gbagbo  without  listening  to  him?  They  were  accusing
   President  Gbagbo because they were thinking that President Gbagbo has
   not been elected,â said Gnamien.

   âInstead  of saying that, they (ECOWAS) should have investigated first
   and,  after  the  investigation,  then they can make a sound decision.
   They  didnât  do  this. And what is now clear is that none of them has
   sent a message of congratulations to Prime Minister Ouattara.â

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