OCHA Situation Report No. 13
West Africa
February 2005
8 March 2005


Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

I. Significant events

The United Nations Department of Political Affairs (DPA) has undertaken
a mission to Guinea Bissau from the 14 to 16 February 2005. The mission,
led by the Under Secretary-general for Political Affairs, Jack
Chistofikdes, also composed of members from the Department Social and
Economic Affairs, humanitarian actors as well as other UN staff members.
The objective of the mission was to review the mandate of UNOGBIS and to
strengthen its peace keeping mandate as well as review how to reform the
security sector in the country. The mission, who also evaluated the
possibilities of a humanitarian crisis, has subsequently shared its
recommendations with the UN Secretary General.

The UN secretary General has presented a progress report S/2005/86. The
report was published on 11 February 2005. on ways to combat sub-regional
and cross border problems in West Africa, stressing the need to develop
an integrated response towards the prevention of conflicts in West
Africa. The report highlighted the efforts made by UNOWA and the
international community in addressing the cross border issues towards
peace and security; proliferation of small arms and light weapons;
harmonise DDR programmes, focussing especially on women and children;
advance durable solutions to the refugee problem within the region and
promote the reform of the security sectors.

The Commanders of the UN Peace Keeping Operations in West Africa:
UNAMSIL (Sierra Leone); UNMIL (Liberia); UNOCI (Cote d'Ivoire) and the
Military Advisors of UNOWA met in Dakar at their bimonthly meeting to
review the political and military scenario and risks in the sub region
as well as discussing the problems faced in implementing their various
mandates.

II. POLITICAL AND SECURITY SITUATION

BURKINA FASO

A meeting took place on 24 February in Ouagadougou by the UN system and
humanitarian partners to discuss the political crisis in the
neighbouring Togo and revise the contingency plan for the Burkina Faso
to anticipate possible influx of refugees should the situation in Togo
deteriorate further.

NIGERIA

The current constitution in Nigeria adopted in 1999 under a military
regime has been criticised by the opposition and some political
observers who believe that too much power is bestowed to the President
and that the different ethnic groups are not adequately represented in
the Parliament. To address this issue President Obasanjo have taken the
initiative to organize a conference, which opened on 21 February to
strengthen the unity of the country. The conference, scheduled to
continue for the next three months, is envisaged to develop
recommendations that could reform the constitution and reduce
inter-ethnic violence in the country.

Several inter-religious clashes have been reported during February. In
Sokoto in the north of the country Muslim violence between rivalling
communities resulted in 3 casualties and several others wounded. 12
persons were likewise killed in the south of the country in the oil rich
state of Bayelsa and 13 Nigerian farmers were killed by nomads in the
border region towards Niger.

GUINEE BISSAU

In the last Presidential consultation held on the 25 February with the
Military Committee, (the consultative and advisory body to the
President), the military stressed the need to have Presidential
elections by 7 of May 2005. The Government, in dialogue with the
opposition, has decided to undertake a completely new electoral census
instead of updating the existing one. The technical process for a new
electoral census will take at least two months, increasing thus the
possibilities of a delay in respect to the election date envisaged by 7
May. A decision on the dates for the electoral consultation should be
made public by the Transitional President during the first week of
March. Currently, of the more than thirty preliminary candidates for the
presidency, only two have officially deposed their candidacy at the
Supreme Court.

The "Reconciliation Commission in the Army" was officially opened on 25
February. The Commission, led by General Buota Na Bacha, has one month
to reconciliate the three factions within the Army. At the opening
ceremony, the Army Chief of Staff declared that he was aware that
troublemakers in the barracks are mobilizing soldiers to retake the arms
but that an uprising will not be tolerated.

Violence among different Muslims groups on the 16 February in the
Eastern city of Gabu (200 km from Bissau) caused four injured among the
Ahmadiyya Muslim group, a group that was banned in August 2001 by the
previous government. Few weeks ago, the Attorney General declared the
ban unconstitutional taking into consideration that Guinea Bissau is a
multi religious state. The Attorney General decision allowed thus the
restarting of Ahmadiyya's activities in the region but caused a sudden
riot of the local population.

The initiative to strengthen the local de-mining capacity was launched
on 25 February in Bissau at the EU headquarter who has financed a
project in partnership with Handicap International. The project that
will enhance the de-mining activities in the outskirts of Bissau; in the
northern part of the country towards Senegal; in Sao Domingos in the
west; and Ingore in the east of the country, is expected to last 15
months. The country that ratified the Ottawa Convention in 2001 is
believed to have more than 11.000 mines shattered in the periphery of
Bissau following the civil war in 1998, and more than 20.000 old mines
in the rest of the country reminiscence from the national liberation war
that began in 1963. In 2003 and 2004 a total of 41 people were killed by
mines in the country. 10 were children.

SENEGAL

The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) has facilitated the
liberation of four civilians belonging to the political wing of the MFDC
in Casamance on 19 February. The four civilians had been retained since
19 January 2005 by the military wing of MFDC. Since July 2004, IFRC has
set up a program to increase the health services, improve the
availability of portable water and reinforce the production of
vegetables for the people victimised and isolated by the conflict in the
region.

TOGO

Following the death of Gnassinbe Eyadema on 5 February 2005 after 38
years of continued rule in Togo, the army transferred power on 6
February to one of the late President's sons Faure Gnassinbe, Minister
of Mining, Telecommunication and Public Works. The President of the
National Assembly, Fambare Nachaba was supposed to act as interim Head
of State and to organize presidential elections but instead Faure was
sworn in to finish the Presidential mandate of his father until 2008.
The transfer of power was condemned at the national, regional and
international level.

ECOWAS met as a consequence in an emergency session on 7 February in
Niamey to discuss the situation in Togo and to introduce diplomatic
sanctions should the country not adhere and reinstate the constitutional
order. The sanctions were introduced on 19 February where the ECOWAS and
the African Union withdrew their ambassadors, prohibited official visits
in the region and announced the immediate halt of sub-regional
integration programmes.

The evening before on 18 February, Faure Gnassingbe declared on a radio
and television transmission that he would organise presidential
elections within 60 days in conformity with the constitution, but still
retain the post as Head of State. It was only on 25 February that Faure
stepped down and handed over power to Abass Bonfoh, the Vice President
of the National Assembly to act as interim Head of State. He used the
occasion to declare his candidacy for the upcoming elections.

Even though the international community have commended the act and
ECOWAS and AU lifted the sanctions, the political opposition in Togo
still claim that the President of the Parliament Fambare Nachaba should
take over the role as interim Head of State.

Togo has since the beginning of February 2005 witnessed a succession
crisis that has placed the country in a very fragile and dangerous
political situation, which could be extended until the Presidential
elections envisaged in April. The country has already been faced by the
manifestations of discontent by the opposition and the civil society. It
is therefore crucial that ECOWAS and the International community assist
the country conduct free and transparent elections which could lead to
the return of peace and stability in the country.

MAURITANIE

The court at Wad Naga delivered on 3 February its verdicts against the
almost 200 accused military personnel and civilians that have been
charged with taking part in the coup attempts against the regime in June
2003/August and September 2004. Out of the 195 persons standing trial, 4
got a life imprisonment and 82 were also to accept to prison sentences.
The remaining 111 persons were acquitted. Among the latter were the
former Mauritanian President Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla and the
opposition figures Ahmed Ould Daddah and Cheikh Ould Horma.

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