JB Dauda, others recommend elections in Maldvies
Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) yesterday recommended that general elections in the Island of Maldvies be held later this year.
The recommendation was made during an extra-ordinary session of the Commonwealth ministers which took place at the Commonwealth Secretariat, Malboro House, South West London.
The session in which Sierra Leone was represented by Joseph B Dauda, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, was aimed at strategising the way forward to the critical situation in Maldives where a democratically elected President was forced to give up power.
The meeting which was chaired by Hon Dr Surujrattan Rambachan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Communications of Trinidad and Tobago, called for an independent and impartial investigation to be completed in a transparent manner within a reasonable time frame.
According to the ministers, it was not possible in the allotted time to determine conclusively the constitutionality of the resignation of President Nasheed.
Other members who were present at yesterday’s extra-ordinary session include: Hon Dr Dipu Moni, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bangladesh, Hon Jon Baird, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Hon Bernard Membe, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tanzania, Mr Dennis Richardson Department of the Foreign Affairs and Trade from Australia and H.E Roy Mickey Joy, High Commissioner of Vanuatu to the United Kingdom.
CMAG had earlier sent a three–member ministerial mission to visit the Island to ascertain the facts surrounding the transfer of power and to promote adherence to Commonwealth values and principles.
The issue in the Maldives have been ongoing for the last three years since the 2008 elections, with the challenge of consolidating its transition to multi-party democracy.
Early this year, the elected President Mohamed Nasheed stepped down and the new President Waheed Hassan Manik took over AND THE Commonwealth is concerned that the former leader was forced out.
By Ediatu Kargbo, Information Attaché 11, London
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