Renewed Peace Efforts In Sierra Leone Welcomed

"Reports that the new rebel leadership in Sierra Leone is willing to abide by the Abidjan Accord and cooperate with the elected government of President Kabbah are very good news indeed," Foreign Minister Don McKinnon said today.

Sierra Leone was one of three Commonwealth members, then under military rule, which came under the spotlight at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Auckland in 1995.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) was asked to evaluate Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and The Gambia, in terms of compliance with the Commonwealth principles of good governance expressed in the Harare Declaration. Mr McKinnon is the deputy chair of the CMAG group.

Since CHOGM, the Commonwealth and other international organisations have supported efforts to end the civil war in Sierra Leone and set up a democratic government. Elections have been held, a civilian government put in place, and a peace agreement signed in Abidjan with the rebels.

However, both the United Nations and the Commonwealth have been worried that recent outbreaks of fighting suggest the Sierra Leone peace process remains fragile and could be breaking down.

"This would indeed be a tragedy for the people who have endured many years of civil destruction and are now only just starting to put their country together again", Mr McKinnon said.

"Against this backdrop the news that the rebel force have changed their leadership and are now prepared to cooperate with the elected government is very good news indeed.

"I hope that under the new leadership Sierra Leone will be able to return to normal political life so that economic development and better standards of living for all its people can follow," the Minister said.