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ECOWAS Commission Seeks Enhanced UN Force

This Day (Lagos)
NEWS
December 13, 2004
Posted to the web December 14, 2004

By George Oji
Abuja
ECOWAS Defence and Security Commission (DSC) has ended its two-day meeting with
a renewed call for the strengthening of the United Nations Operations in Cote
d'Ivoire (UNOCI) to enable it respond effectively to security breaches in the
country.
The meeting also called for the upgrading of UNOCI's mandate by way of a
'robust Rules of engagement' to include authority to use force to prevent armed
belligerents from entering the zone of confidence.
Similarly, it advocated the deployment of an aviation unit to facilitate
UNOCI's operations.
These calls were contained in the report of the Defence and Security Commission
read at the close of its 11th meeting on Saturday, 11th December 2004 in
Cotonou and made available to THISDAY.
The Commission, which had met to review the security situation in the region,
expressed concern over the recent deterioration of the security situation in
Cote d'Ivoire, leading to the evacuation of several foreign nationals.

   

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