PAP calls for restoration of elected government in Mauritania

PAP calls for restoration of elected government in Mauritania

BY GEORGE KAGAME
Johannesburg


The Pan African Parliament has added voice to the African Union’s call for the restoration of Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi to power after his overthrow in a bloodless coup two months ago.

Presenting their report that was read by Lassane Savadogo from Burkina Faso to the house, the Committee on Cooperation, International Relations and Conflict Resolution called for the reinstatement of the former president as a prerequisite for solving the crisis in the far western African country. They also proposed instituting constitutional reform and called for the release of Sidi Mohamed.

Sidi Mohamed was ousted from power by a group of high ranking generals he had dismissed from office on 6th August led by General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz who has been a central figure in the politics of Mauritania in recent years.

Only last week, the military coup leader rejected an AU ultimatum to reinstate Sidi Mohamed, saying it was not in the country's best interests.

Reacting to the report PAP representatives called for the AU to set a committee for good governance and corruption control. Dr. Georgette Kalimi from Egypt suggested this committee as an effective measure in fighting rampant corruption on the continent. “We should also set an a Pan African Criminal Court such that we avoid a situation as we are facing in Sudan where a sitting president is being threatened by the International Criminal Court.”

Kalimi added that peace and security in Africa cannot be guaranteed by texts as the AU is currently doing: “the commission is writing documents which are kept in files while conflicts persist.”