Alert!

Côte d'Ivoire Crisis: WANEP Policy Briefs(2)

Recommendation

The path to peace through dialogue is not lost. Instead of the nonchalant attitude, it is time to sail beyond criticism. The regional institutional structure remains the best forum to address the Ivorian question.

ECOWAS must not be seen as supernatural body with a magic wand capable of solving the regions myriads of problems overnight. It is time the civil society, the media practitioners, the academics, the opinion leaders, politicians, and International Organizations operating within, or with a stake in West Africa, including Africans in the diaspora mobilize behind their regional body for a durable solution to the crisis.

The legitimate government of President Gbagbo should be recognized, encouraged and supported as much as possible in the negotiations. A compromising precedence must be avoided.

The crisis also is an important test for the Africa Union's Peer Mechanism. Amara Esy, more than any one else would attest to this.