Cablegate: Au and Ecowas to Meet in Abuja to Discuss Sudan,

VZCZCXRO8512
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHUJA #1947 2961637
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231637Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7305
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0581
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0468
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 0441
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS PRIORITY 2151
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE PRIORITY

UNCLAS ABUJA 001947

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL, INR/AA, INL/AAE;
ADDIS ABABA FOR MISSION TO AU

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PINR KDEM NI GV NG SU
SUBJECT: AU AND ECOWAS TO MEET IN ABUJA TO DISCUSS SUDAN,
GUINEA, AND NIGER

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UPCOMING AU AND ECOWAS MEETINGS IN ABUJA
----------------------------------------

1. (SBU) The Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) will convene a "consultative meeting of major
Nigerien actors" in Abuja October 30 under the chairmanship
of ECOWAS Mediator for Niger General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
An ECOWAS representative informed PolMilOff October 22 that
ECOWAS would invite members of Tandja's government, Niger
opposition parties, and key Niger stakeholders to the meeting
but did not yet release an agenda or a list of planned
participants. This meeting will fall on the heels of the
October 29 African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council
(PSC) meeting, which will focus on Darfur and likely also
address Guinea and Niger.

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SUSPENSION OF NIGER
-------------------

2. (SBU) ECOWAS suspended Niger membership October 22, under
its Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, after Niger
ignored an October 17 request by Heads of State to postpone
its October 20 legislative elections. In a statement, ECOWAS
President Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas condemned Niger's "serious
breaches of the ECOWAS Protocol," noting that "the
authorities of Niger have clearly moved to further entrench
the constitutional illegality currently prevailing in the
country."
SANDERS

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