ABIDJAN, Oct 26 (AFP) - The west African regional grouping
ECOWAS announced Saturday it has decided to send a force of 2,000
troops from nine countries to Ivory Coast to monitor a week-old
ceasefire.
   "The first deployment should come in 10 to 15 days, according to
an agreed calendar," the executive secretary of the Economic
Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mohamed Ibn Chambas
said.
   The announcement came after a meeting of foreign ministers from
the 15-nation bloc.
   The force will be commanded by an officer from the country which
makes the greatest contribution of troops to the force, most likely
Senegal, Chambas said.
   Countries sending troops to join the force are Benin, Gambia,
Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.
   Exactly how many troops, and how much money each nation will
contribute still has to be decided.
   The force will also have a civilian official from Nigeria,
Chambas said.

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