Commonwealth calls for reconstruction aid

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) has called on the international community to help Sierra Leone rebuild after its devastating war.

The latest appeal came in a statement issued on Monday at the end its 12th meeting that started on 30 September.

Established by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1995 to review serious and persistent violations of Commonwealth principles as outlined in the Harare Declaration, CMAG comprises ministers from eight Commonwealth countries and is chaired by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku.

Commonwealth member countries are also urged to implement the Commonwealth Action Plan for Sierra Leone, the action group said.

“This plan aims to support United Nations and regional efforts to rehabilitate Sierra Leone beyond the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration phase,” Kaye Whiteman, director of information at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London, told IRIN.

“We are currently approaching a number of Commonwealth countries to provide assistance to help rebuild the Sierra Leone police force,” he said.

He added that concrete commitments were expected to be made at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting scheduled for 12-15 November in Durban, South Africa.

The CMAG also called for the “full and effective implementation” of the Lome agreement and for Commonwealth governments to support the UN Secretary-General’s recommendations in his report to the Security Council issued last week.

The Commonwealth is one of the 10 moral guarantors of the Lome agreement signed on 7 July by the government of Sierra Leone and the RUF.