Mano River foreign ministers seek ways to foster peace

Foreign Ministers from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone agreed on Wednesday to reactivate a joint security committee established in May 2000 but blocked by conflict between the three nations, which form the all-but-defunct Mano River Union (MRU). They announced this in a press statement following a 13-15 August meeting held to seek ways to restore dialogue “at the highest level” among MRU member states, whose presidents have often accused each other of backing armed opposition forces. They also agreed to convene a joint security meeting in Freetown on 22 August and a meeting of foreign ministers in Conakry on 10 September, at which they will discuss the agenda, venue and date of a proposed summit of MRU heads, which was also one of their recommendations. The ministers agreed that there was a need to build confidence, develop cooperation and restore peace, security and stability within the MRU countries. They “condemned all dissident activity in the subregion and agreed to take individual and collective measures to curb the activities of armed groups operating” in the MRU area.