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Commonwealth Secretariat press release

Commonwealth to be Represented at Swearing-in and Sierra Leone Peace Talks

26 March 1996

In response to an invitation from the outgoing Sierra Leone Head of State, Brigadier-General Julius Maada Bio, to Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, a senior Commonwealth official, Mr K Srinivasan, Deputy Secretary-General (Political), will represent the Secretary-General at the swearing-in of Sierra Leone's elected President, Ahmad Tejan Kabba, at a ceremony in Freetown on Friday 29 March. This will mark the formal transfer of power from the country's military government led by General Bio, who is also Chairman of the National Provisional Ruling Council.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General said: "This important event effectively means that the number of military regimes in the Commonwealth has now been reduced from three to two. I hope democracy will now flourish in Sierra Leone, especially with the anticipated return of peace."

During his visit Mr Srinivasan hopes to hold discussions with President Tejan Kabba and his colleagues on ways in which the Commonwealth can help consolidate Sierra Leone's newly re-established democratic structures.

Meanwhile, another Commonwealth official, Dr Moses Anafu, Assistant Director in the Commonwealth Secretariat's Political Affairs Division, is attending the third round of talks between the government and the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) which began in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, on Monday 25 March. The talks were initiated last month and for the first time the respective delegations are led by General Bio and the leader of the RUF, Corporal Foday Sankoh. Earlier this month both sides agreed to a two-month ceasefire. The RUF has been fighting the Sierra Leone government since 1991.


Note to Editors:

Mr Tejan Kabba, the candidate of the Sierra Leone People's Party, secured almost 60% of the votes cast in the second round of Sierra Leone's Presidential elections, held on 15 March 1996. The runner-up was Dr John Karefa-Smart of the United National People's Party.

Prior to the election, the Commonwealth provided three technical experts — a data-base manager, election logistics expert and legal adviser — to assist the Electoral Commission. An 18-member Commonwealth Observer Group was sent by the Commonwealth Secretary-General to observe the first round of voting on 26 and 27 February 1996, and four Commonwealth Secretariat officials observed the second round on 15 March.

The peace talks have been convened by the Government of Ivory Coast.

 

96/12 26 March 1996

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ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION
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