AU, ECOWAS commence mediation between the Government of Sierra Leone and opposition APC
The African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Commonwealth are jointly facilitating a mediation process between the Government of Sierra Leone (GOSL) and the All Peoples Congress (APC) Party on the outcome of the 24 June 2023 elections.
The mediation initiative is at the invitation of the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC) of the Republic of Sierra Leone. The Mediation is led by Her Excellency, Aja Fatoumata C.M Jallow-Tambajang, the former Vice Preisdent of The Gambia, supported by technical teams from the three organizations.
On arrival in Freetown on 13 October 2023, the team paid a courtesy call on the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Julius Maada Bio.
The team held consultations with key stakeholders in the country including the leadership of the APC and its presidential candidate in the 24 June 2023 election, Dr Samura Kamara; cabinet ministers; the leadership of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECLS); Civil Society Organizations and the Diplomatic Corps amongst others.
The team also met with the former President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency, Ernest Bai Koroma. The three-day mediation process officially starts on Monday 16 October 2023 at the Bintumani Hotel and will continue till Wednesday 18 October 2023.
The mediation team seizes this opportunity to call on all parties to discuss openly and frankly in good faith with the aim of finding a lasting solution to the issues at stake in the overall interest of the country. It also calls on the parties to refrain from inflammatory statements in the media that could jeopardize the mediation process.
