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Federal Minister Westerwelle sends Director-General for African Affairs to Côte d’Ivoire to assess the tense situation there
In view of the tense situation in Côte d’Ivoire, Foreign Minister Westerwelle has sent the Director-General for African Affairs at the Federal Foreign Office, Walter Lindner, to Abidjan.
Walter Lindner will have talks in Côte d’Ivoire with EU and UN representatives, as well as Ivorian politicians. The aim of the trip is to gain an accurate picture of the situation and to discuss ways out of the current political crisis.
Foreign Minister Westerwelle is very concerned by the escalation of the situation which has already claimed lives and led to a reduction in the UN presence. In Berlin, he called on the parties to accept the election outcome. He stated there was a great danger that the ongoing crisis in Côte d’Ivoire would destabilize the entire region.
“The political landscape in Côte d’Ivoire must be shaped by the election outcome announced by the electoral commission. I urge ex-President Gbagbo to accept the will of the majority of voters in his country. I welcome the special summit on Côte d’Ivoire being held by ECOWAS states and the urgency with which they are addressing the situation there.”