Final Communique of the Lome Meeting on the Peace Process in Guinea-Bissau

• Country/entity

  Guinea-Bissau
  
• Region

  Africa (excl MENA)
  
• Agreement name

  Final Communique of the Lome Meeting on the Peace Process in Guinea-Bissau
• Date

  15 Dec 1998
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Guinea-Bissau Civil War (1998 - 1999) )
• Stage

  Implementation/renegotiation
• Conflict nature

  Government
• Peace process

  Guinea Bissau peace process
• Parties

  (Signed) H.E. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA
  President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau
  
  (Signed) General Ansumane MANE
  Commander of the Self-Proclaimed Military Junta
• Third parties

  (Signed) H.E. Gnassingbe EYADEMA
  President of the Togolese Republic
  
  ...(Signed) H.E. Vincent OKOBI Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Togo, Representing the Head of State, Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
  
  (Signed) H.E. Tounkara YAHAYA Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Niger
  
  
  (Signed) General Lamine CISSE
  Minister of Interior of the Republic of Senegal
  
  (Signed) H.E. Lansana KOUYATE Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States
• Description

  This agreement provides for accelerated implementation of the Abuja Accord. Issues covered include the ceasefire, the establishment of a Government of National Unity, the deployment of an ECOWAS Monitoring force, the organisation of elections, and the ECOWAS Chairman's initiative for settling the conflict.

• Agreement document

  GW_981215_FinalCommuniqueLome.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

FINAL COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE LOMÉ MEETING ON THE PEACE PROCESS IN GUINEA-BISSAU

In the framework of the implementation of the Abuja Accord signed on 1 November 1998 between the parties in conflict in Guinea-Bissau, H.E. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, President of the Togolese Republic and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), invited H.E. Abdulsalami ABUBAKAR, Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as well as H.E. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA, President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau and General Ansumane MANE, Commander of the Self-Proclaimed Military Junta, to a meeting at Lomé on 14 December 1998 in order to discuss the evolution of the peace process in Guinea-Bissau and to seek ways and means of accelerating the implementation of the said Accord.

The following were also present at the meeting:

H.E. Francisco FADUL, Prime Minister of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau;

M. Tounkara YAHAYA, Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Niger;

General Lamine CISSE, Minister of Interior of the Republic of Senegal;

H.E. Lansana KOUYATE, Executive Secretary of ECOWAS;

H.E. Konde Kikpa TAKASSI, Ambassador representing ECOWAS in Guinea- Bissau;

M. Carlos Domingos GOMES, representative of the Mediation and Good Will Commission;

H.E. Francisco Da SILVA, Ambassador of Portugal to Guinea-Bissau;

Mrs. Andreaw ULLC, Chargé d’affaires of Sweden to Guinea-Bissau.

During the proceedings, President Eyadema recalled that the framework of the ongoing peace process is comprised of the Praia Accord of 26 August 1998 and the Abuja Accord of 1 November 1998, which define the modalities of the ceasefire and the conditions for a return of lasting peace and normal political life.

He rejoiced at the progressive implementation of these agreements, in particular the recent appointment of H.E. Francisco FADUL as Prime Minister, which paves the way to the formation of a new Government of National Unity.

He also stressed the necessity for the parties concerned in this conflict, as well as for member States of the Economic Community of West African States, to work further to ensure the implementation of the above-mentioned agreements until the realization of the objectives contained therein.

In that spirit, after fruitful exchanges of views between the participants, which made it possible to undertake an objective evaluation of the situation on the field, the following was agreed upon:

On the ceasefire

The protagonists reiterated their commitment to continue to abide by the ceasefire Agreement signed at Praia on 26 August 1998, in order to facilitate the effective implementation of the Agreement reached at Abuja on 1 November 1998.

On the setting up of the Government of National Unity

The Heads of State and the parties in conflict rejoiced at the appointment of a Prime Minister.

The parties to the conflict agreed to form a Government of National Unity according to a structure and a distribution consigned in an additional protocol to the Abuja Accord (see annex II).

On the deployment of an ECOWAS Monitoring Group interposition force

Having examined the situation prevailing in Guinea-Bissau, the Heads of State and the parties in conflict reiterated the necessity of accelerating the deployment of an ECOWAS Monitoring Group interposition force, in accordance with the 1 November 1998 Agreement.

To that end, they expressly invited ECOWAS member States which have committed themselves to contributing to the setting up of this force to do so in the shortest term possible.

The parties in conflict commended the efforts made by H.E. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, President of the Togolese Republic and Chairman of ECOWAS, in order to mobilize the international community for the acceleration of this deployment.

On the organization of general and presidential elections

The Heads of State and the parties in conflict reaffirmed the imperative necessity for general and presidential elections to be organized, and once again called on the international community to provide assistance for the organization of these elections.

Initiative of the Chairman of ECOWAS for the settlement of the conflict

The meeting commended the numerous initiatives taken by the Chairman of ECOWAS, including:

The appointment of a Special Representative in Guinea-Bissau;

The sending of the Commander-in-Chief of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group on an evaluation mission;

The designation of liaison officers;

The sending of a mission of the ECOWAS Committee of Nine to the United Nations.

The meeting listened to the report by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, H.E. Kokou Joseph KOFFIGOH, Senior Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Togolese Republic, on the mission of the ECOWAS Committee of Nine on Guinea-Bissau, which he conducted in New York on 11 December 1998 to meet with the Secretary-General and the Security Council in order to seek their assistance for a final and lasting settlement of the crisis and for the rebuilding of this brotherly country.

The meeting took note with satisfaction of the report, and welcomed the availability of the United Nations to work towards the return of peace and stability in Guinea-Bissau.

***

At the end of these talks, which took place in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation, President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA and General Ansumane MANE reaffirmed their unflinching determination to put an end to the conflict, and to actively work towards the return of peace in their country.

They expressed their sincere and heartfelt thanks to H.E. Gnassingbe EYADEMA, President of the Togolese Republic and Chairman of ECOWAS, for the happy initiative he took to call this meeting, which once again shows his commitment and his continued efforts to preserve peace and security in the subregion.

They equally expressed their profound gratitude to General Abdulsalami ABUBAKAR, Head of State, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for his availability to pursue his assistance to the ongoing peace process in Guinea-Bissau.

President Abdulsalami ABUBAKAR, President Joao Bernardo VIEIRA, General Ansumane MANE and the other persons who took part in this meeting expressed their sincere thanks to President Gnassingbe EYADEMA, the Government and the people of Togo for the warm, brotherly and authentically African welcome extended to them and to the delegations which accompanied them.

DONE at Lomé on 15 December 1998.

(Signed) H.E. Gnassingbe EYADEMA

President of the Togolese Republic

(Signed) H.E. Joao Bernardo VIEIRA

President of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau

(Signed) General Ansumane MANE

Commander of the Self-Proclaimed Military Junta

(Signed) H.E. Vincent OKOBI Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Togo, Representing the Head of State, Commander-in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

(Signed) H.E. Tounkara YAHAYA Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Niger

(Signed) General Lamine CISSE

Minister of Interior of the Republic of Senegal

(Signed) H.E. Lansana KOUYATE Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States