20 November 2002 (Press and Information
Division) - The Interim Chairperson of the African Union Commission,
Mr. Amara Essy, on 13 November 2002 approved a donation of US$100,000 from
the Peace Fund to support the facilitation of the on-going Lomé negotiations
on the crisis in Côte d'Ivoire.
The negotiations between the Government
of the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire and the Patriotic Movement of Côte d'Ivoire
were launched in Lomé, Togo, on 30 October 2002, under the aegis of President
Ghassingbe Eyadema of the Republic of Togo, in his capacity as Coordinator
of the High Level ECOWAS Contact Group.
President Gnassingbe Eyadema is assisted in these negotiations by former President of Sao Tome and Principe, Mr. Miguel Trovoada, who is the Special Envoy of the Interim Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Addis-Ababa, 19 November 2002