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Ambassadors of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have demanded that the Ivorian government protect all foreign nationals from mob attacks amid allegations of foreign involvement in Sunday’s attempted coup, the official Fraternite-Matin reported on Thursday.
The ambassadors, representing nine of the 15 West African states that make up ECOWAS, conveyed their message on Wednesday to Foreign Affairs Minister Abou Sangare. The delegation, while condemning the coup, outlined reports of attacks on non-Ivorian residents. The ambassadors said that non-Ivorian university students were chased out of their dormitories, families thrown out of their homes and salesmen forced to close shops in Abidjan.
The consulate of Burkina Faso, in the central business district of the city, was attacked by a mob. The Burkinabe have been at the centre of suspicion and allegations of supporting the overthrow of the government. This is because a leading Ivorian political figure, Alassan Ouattara, has been disqualified from running for political office on the grounds that he once held Burkinabe nationality.
Sangare promised that government would take “every measure” to ensure the security of foreigners and their property.
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