[size=15pt]US envoy cautions against power sharing in Ivory Coast[/size]

Thursday, 06 January 2011



A former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. John Campbell, has urged West African leaders to rule out power sharing in Cote d' Ivoire in their bid to resolve the political standoff.

Campbell, a senior fellow for Africa Policy Studies at the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR), a Washington-based think tank, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.

``I will urge ECOWAS not to go down the power sharing road as it happened in Zimbabwe and Kenya.

``Because what power sharing does is that it enables a big man who has lost an election to remain in power, and from that perspective this is a particularly sensitive time in Africa.

``There is going to be referendum and election in Sudan and elections in Nigeria.

``The spread of power sharing may well tempt those who lose those elections to try to either somehow hang onto power or gain power or (even) some options of power.

``Power sharing is undemocratic,’’ he said.

NAN reported that incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo had refused to cede power to Alassane Ouattara, who is officially regarded by the international community as the winner of the November 28 presidential elections.

ECOWAS, which has been mediating in the matter, had threatened ``legitimate use of force’’ to get recalcitrant Gbagbo out of office.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/15755-us-envoy-cautions-against-power-sharing-in-ivory-coast

From the words of the former US ambassador, it is plain that they are not concerned about the well being of the Ivory Coast but more concern about the interest it has by the country being together, even with continuous conflict. The country is basically North against South, sharing would definitely be the best option apart from separation. But by the last two sentences of the ambassador, it is clear that the US is scared that the sharing of power with turn into the separation of North and South after Sudans Referendum;which will also lead to the other separations all across Africa.This will liberate Africa more and strengthen it,which the opposition doesn't want. Hopefully the AU and ECOWAS supports the sharing of power and not be puppets to the French and US.