CM/Res.1621 (LXIII)
RESOLUTION ON LIBERIA
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Sixty-Third. Ordinary session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 26 to 28 February 1996,
Having considered the Report of the Secretary General on the situation in Liberia as contained in Document CM/1912 (LXIII)C,
Having heard the statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Liberia,
Recalling Resolution CM/Res. 1585 (LXII) adopted at its Sixty-Second Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as well as other previous OAU Resolutions on the Liberian crisis,
Recalling the meeting of the Foreign Ministers and Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS Committee of Nine on Liberia held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 15 to 16 and 17 to 20 May 1995, respectively, on the Liberian crisis,
Recalling further the Sixth Consultative Meeting between the Heads of State and Government of the Committee of Nine and Parties to the Liberian conflict, also held in Abuja, Nigeria, from 16 to 19 August 1995, during which an agreement to end the Liberian civil war, namely the Abuja Agreement was reached, and f4-.nally signed by the parties concerned which supplements and amends the Cotonou Accord, as well as the Akosombo Agreement and its Accra Clarifications,
Noting with appreciation the sustained and relentless efforts of the Current Chairman of ECOWAS,
H.E. Flt.Lt. Jerry John Rawlings, President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. General Sani Abacha, Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and other leaders of the West African Sub- Region, to keep the Liberian Peace Process on course and sustain its momentum,
Noting with further appreciation the progress that has been made in the implementation of the Abuja Agreement,
Condemns the recent surprise unprovoked and brutal attack on ECOMOG soldiers by ULIMO-J fighters which resulted in the death of several ECOMOG soldiers, brought the deployment exercise to a halt and disrupted humanitarian relief supplies,
Considering the invaluable contributions which the Economic Community of West African States, the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations have made towards the advancement of the peace process in Liberia,
Recognizing that the implementation of complete and comprehensive disarmament is very crucial to the restoration of permanent and durable peace to Liberia, and NOTING within its context the serious financial, logistical and other problems presently besetting ECOMOG in carrying out its peace-keeping mandate in Liberia,
Realizing that the successful implementation of all pertinent agreements to bring peace to Liberia will depend to a large extent on contributions and continuing financial assistance from the International Community, particularly donor countries :
WELCOMES the initiatives of the Current Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the efforts of other leaders in the sub-region, which have culminated into the signing of the Abuja Agreement by the parties to the Liberian conflict, and URGES them not to relent in their endeavours until peace is finally returned to Liberia;
REAFFIRMS that the Cotonou Accord, as supplemented and amended by the Akosombo Agreement and its Accra Clarifications, as well as by the Abuja Agreement, continues to offer the best framework for bringing lasting and durable peace to Liberia, and CALLS on the leaders of the parties to place the national interest of the country above their personal gains in order to respect and implement these Accords;
WELCOMES the installation of the new Liberia National Transitional Government (LNTG) which includes the leaders of the warring f actions and civilian representatives as members of the Council of State;
APPEALS to the Liberian National Transitional Government to continue to assist in the full implementation of the Abuja Agreement;
CONFIRMS that comprehensive and total disarmament of all warring parties is very crucial for the attainment of durable peace in Liberia, in this regard COMMENDS the commencement of the deployment of troops throughout Liberia by ECOMOG to monitor the disengagement and encampment of combatants as the first real step towards the realization of the goal of disarmament;
EXPRESSES CONCERN over the recent incidents in Liberia including the outbreak of fighting among some of the warring parties and CALLS ON the parties to put an immediate end to the fighting;
CALLS ON all parties to ::aspect the schedule of implementation as annexed to the Akosombo Agreement and its Accra Clarifications, as well as the Abuja Agreement;
EXPRESSES gratitude to the Secretary General of the United Nations for convening, in
collaboration with the Current ECOWAS Chairman and the Government of Liberia, a Pledging Conference for Liberia;
FURTHER EXPRESSES appreciation to all those countries, UN agencies, and NGOs which have fulfilled their pledges and APPEALS to others which have not yet fulfilled their promises to do so urgently to enable Liberia move from the condition of war and independence on humanitarian assistance to laying of the basis for self-reliance, national rehabilitation, reconstruction and development;
COMMENDS the efforts of the Secretary General of the OAU for providing from the OAU resources a financial contribution to ECOWAS to assist ECOMOG carry out its disarmament mandate in Liberia, in compliance with the Council's Resolution CM/Res. 1585 (LXII) adopted in June 1995;
FURTHER COMMENDS the efforts of all countries which have contributed troops to ECOMOG contingents for the-sacrifices they have made and continue to make towards the search for peace in Liberia;
EXPRESSES gratitude to all member of the International Community which have contributed personnel to the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) in support of the peace process;
CALLS ON members of the International Community which have not yet done so to recognize and give full faith and credence to the current Liberia National Transitional Government ( LNTG);
FURTHER CALLS ON the International Community to strictly observe the arms embargo imposed against all warring factions in the Liberian conflict by the UN Security Council Resolution 788, and URGES ECOWAS Member States, particularly all those bordering Liberia to take appropriate measures to prevent the transhipment of weapons or war -like materials through their territories to the warring factions in conformity with ECOWAS own sanctions;
ALSO APPEALS to the international community to provide financial and logistical support without undue conditionalities, to ECOMOG to enable it play its role in the implementation of the Abuja Agreement;
REQUESTS the Secretary General of the Organization of African Unity to follow closely developments on the situation in Liberia and report thereon to the next Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers.