Accra, May 7, GNA - Mr. Akwasi Osei-Adjei, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD returned home on Wednesday, 30th April, 2008 from Luxembourg where he attended the 13th EU-ECOWAS Ministerial Troika Meeting.

The Ministerial Troika is made up of Burkina Faso (ECOWAS Chairperson) President of the ECOWAS Commission, Ghana, Nigeria, Niger as well as the EU Presidency and Commission.

The meeting discussed the peace and security situation in West Africa with particular reference to Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and the Sahel Region. The meeting also examined the issues of democratic consolidation and elections, human rights and good governance, migration and development, economic integration process and the EPA, measures to combat drug trafficking as well as youth unemployment in West Africa.

In a press release issued at the end of the meeting, the EU welcomed the progress and efforts made by ECOWAS in its conflict prevention, mediation and peace-keeping policies. The two sides acknowledged the progress made in the security situation in West Africa and efforts at consolidating the democratic culture in the Sub-Region. They agreed to continue to cooperate and dialogue with a view to reinforcing their partnership.

The working session of the International Contact Group on the Mano River Basin (ICG-MRB) also took place in the margins of the Ministerial Trioka meeting, and was attended by representatives from Burkina Faso, France, Germany, Ghana, the Gambia, Niger, Nigeria, Morocco, United Kingdom, ECOWAS, EU and UN.

The participants were briefed on, and discussed the current political developments in the Basin and activities by the International Community to promote peace and stability in the countries concerned. The Group also took note of various reports of positive developments, but noted that the situation in those countries remained fragile and required the continued efforts of the International Community to consolidate the process of Institution-building governance and also to ensure that forthcoming elections in the countries concerned would be carried out in an atmosphere that was free and fair.

Mr. Osei-Adjei was accompanied to the meeting by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD. The next meeting of the EU-ECOWAS Ministerial Troika will take place in New York on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2008.