Abuja, Aug 07: Embattled Liberian President Charles Taylor will give an address to his country's Parliament today in which he will announce his intention to resign, the head of West African regional grouping Ecowas said. Taylor will address a joint session of the Liberian Parliament to "inform them of his intention to resign," a prelude to his handing over to his successor on Monday and his departure for Nigeria, Mohammed ibn Chambas, told journalists.

"We believe that the departure of President Taylor from Liberia will create the possibilities for a new beginning for that country," said Chambas, executive secretary of the 15-nation Economic Community Of West African States (Ecowas).

A second battalion of Nigerian troops for the peacekeeping operation in Liberia will start to deploy as from Saturday, he added.

"That battalion is expected to commence deployment on Saturday," said Chambas, referring to a battalion of soldiers based in Nigeria's northwestern city of Sokoto.

Nigeria on Monday sent to Liberia a first battalion based in Sierra Leone to form the vanguard of the Ecowas force in that war-ravaged country.


"When these two vanguard battalions are fully deployed, they will be followed immediately by a third wave of deployment involving composite battalions of those from Ghana, Mali and Senegal," he also said.
Bureau Report