COTE DÍVOIRE CRISIS SADDENS AFRICA

From Wamunyima Muwana in Addis Ababa

The African continent is saddened by the situation in Cote d'voire where efforts to see a negotiated settlement to the crisis in the troubled West African state have not been successful.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kabinga Pande says unity and integration will not be achieved if democracy and good governance are not respected in Africa.

Mr Pande told ZANIS in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that the continent has millions of refugees as a result of conflicts in some parts of Africa.

The foreign Affairs minister who is part of the advance delegation at the AU summit said Africa should be moving away from a situation where the wishes or will of people are not respected.

" At the moment Zambia is hosting 60 thousand refugees because of conflicts. This is sad for Africa,'  Mr Pande said.

Mr Pande said the on-going   Executive Council meeting in Addis Ababa ahead of the AU summit is likely to deliberate on the situation in the strife-torn West African state, if the AU Peace and Security Commission and the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) presents a report on crisis.

" When we look at the report, the Executive Council meeting will then make proposals to the Heads of State Summit  on the way forward," he said.

The crisis in Cote d'voire was triggered by incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo's refusal to cede power to the man widely seen to have won the November 28 Presidential runoff, Alassane Quattara.

Malawian President and African Union (AU) Chairperson Bingu wa Mutharika has endorsed Code d'voire opposition leader Alassane Quattara as legimate President and has since called on Laurent Gbagbo to respect the will of the people and stand down.

The AU had sent Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga as an emissary, but came back with little success.

ECOWAS has also been making frantic efforts to see a negotiated settlement in the Ivorian crisis but to no avail, despite threats of using force to remove President Gbagbo if necessary.

Political analysts here say the issue is very urgent and the AU summit which opens this week-end cannot afford to skip it.

ZANIS