Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) – The Ivorian crisis is a challenge for Africa. So some of the more prominent religious organisations in Africa sent a delegation to Côte d'Ivoire from 17 to 19 February. The delegation was made up of representatives from the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), from the Council of Churches of Africa (AACC) and from the African Council of Religious Leaders (CARL). According to a statement sent to Fides, the delegation of African religious leaders was led by Cardinal Theodore Adrien Sarr, First Vice-President of SECAM and Archbishop of Dakar (Senegal).
At the conclusion of the visit, the delegation came up with the following conclusions: the presidential elections in Côte d'Ivoire had to end the crisis that has lasted since 2002, but instead led to a stalemate; the problem of authentication of the electoral process has been understood differently by both sides.
In light of these observations, the delegation expressed its support for efforts by African leaders to promote a fair and sincere dialogue between Alassane Ouattara and Laurent Gbagbo to find a peaceful solution to the crisis. The delegation also calls on faithful Ivorians to intensify efforts in prayer and not to allow partisan politics to corrupt their faith. Finally it calls on the international community to contribute to a peaceful solution to the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire.
The political crisis erupted after incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo's refusal to recognise the victory of Alassane Ouattara, in the second round of presidential elections on 28 November. Four African Heads of State, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz (Mauritania), Jacob Zuma (South Africa), Idriss Deby Itno (Chad) and Jikaya Kikwete (Tanzania) are expected today in Abidjan, where they will give Gbagbo and Ouattara proposals to arrive at a “binding” solution for both parties by 28 February. The President of Burkina Faso, Blaise Compaoré (mediator of the Ivorian peace process from 2007 to 2010), was also expected to be part of the delegation. However, he declined to go to Abidjan for “security reasons”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 21/2/2011)
