EU special envoy visits Mano River countries

European Union (EU) envoy Hans Dahlgren has begun a visit to the three countries of the Mano River Union (MRU), an official of the EU office in Sierra Leone told IRIN on Tuesday. Dahlgren, who is the EU Presidency's Special Representative for the MRU, first travelled to Guinea after which he went to Liberia. "We are expecting him here [Sierra Leone] this evening," the official said. "He will go back to Guinea on Wednesday." The three countries comprise the MRU, an all-but-defunct grouping formed to foster subregional integration. Dahlgren, who is also the Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, was commissioned by the EU to visit the subregion from 8 to 10 October. "The aim of the visit is to give more concrete form to the EU's continued commitment to lasting peace and security in the region," the EU said on Friday in a statement. His mission is also a result of efforts by the EU's Swedish Presidency to create an EU policy on the political and humanitarian crisis in the region, the EU said. Its objectives include promoting political dialogue between the three countries at the highest level and promoting cooperation with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations to support the peace process in Sierra Leone. Another objective has been to conduct a dialogue with Liberia on sanctions the United Nations has imposed on that country, and the demands that have been placed on the Liberian government, the statement added. Dahlgren's agenda includes talks with Presidents Lansana Conte of Guinea, Charles Taylor of Liberia and Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone in preparation for "important" EU meetings in Brussels next week, the official said.