The military chiefs of staff from the member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have adopted "the operation concept" of the international force to help regain control of northern Mali.

The concept involves the composition of the force, the extent of participation of the ECOWAS states, the funding and the military equipment they will require.

The concept was developed on Tuesday by military experts from ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union, Mauritania, Algeria, France and Germany. They have been meeting in the Malian capital Bamako since Oct. 30.

The head of the ECOWAS committee of military chiefs, Soumaila Bakayoko, said the name of the force will change from the ECOWAS Mission to Mali (MICEMA) to the "International Intervention Force for Mali."

A team of experts will remain in Bamako to polish up the administrative matters of the plan.

The president of the ECOWAS Commission, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo, said the decision of the military chiefs will be discussed during the Mediation and Security Council meeting set for Thursday in the Nigerian capital Abuja, before an extraordinary summit of ECOWAS planned for on Nov. 11.

In a resolution adopted on Oct. 12, the UN Security Council gave ECOWAS 45 days to put in place a military plan to liberate northern Mali, which has been under rebel occupation for seven months. Endi

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