UN General Assembly
1998

conflicts, particularly those in the Central African Republic and Sierra Leone. By personally participating in the festivities which marked the return to power of Mr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, the democratically elected President of Sierra Leone, I was able to show my Government and people?s deep commitment to democratic processes and the establishment of the rule of law in Africa. This is a good opportunity to pay tribute to the decisive, beneficial role played by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in the restoration of constitutional legality and the return of calm to Sierra Leone, thereby implementing the political will and determination of the ECOWAS heads of State. The exemplary intervention of ECOWAS to resolve conflicts in the West Africa subregion testifies to the opportuneness of giving more responsibility to subregional and regional organizations in the prevention and management of conflicts. Their unparalleled local knowledge could, when necessary, be given the logistic support and expertise of the United Nations to deal with local conflicts, in keeping with the prescriptions of the