Fourth Meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration (CMAG)

CONCLUDING STATEMENT
The Fourth Meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on the Harare Declaration (CMAG) was held at Marlborough House, London, on 28 August 1996.

Nigeria
The Group discussed the recent exchange of correspondence between its Chairman and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, following an invitation received from the latter for CMAG to hold talks with the Government of Nigeria in Abuja on 29-30 August 1996. In pursuit of its mandate, CMAG decided to send a team of senior Secretariat officials, led by the Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, to Abuja for discussions with Nigerian officials on the modalities and new dates for a visit to Nigeria by CMAG.

The Gambia
The Group considered recent developments in The Gambia. It expressed deep concern about the current situation in the country, and in particular the decision of the Gambian authorities to prohibit certain political parties and personalities from participation in the forthcoming elections. CMAG considered that unless the Gambian authorities were able to rescind this ban, in order to allow the people of The Gambia the unfettered opportunity to choose a civilian democratic government, the Commonwealth should neither send a group of observers nor endorse in any way such a flawed process.

Next Meeting
The Group agreed to meet again in New York at the end of September 1996, as previously announced in its June communiqué.

Issued by the Information and Public Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat,
Marlborough House,
Pall Mall,
London SW1Y 5HX,
United Kingdom.
Tel: 0207-839 3411;
Fax: 0207-839 9081;
Telex: 27678

96/39 28 August 1996