Assembly/AU/3(XIV) Page 14 Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in respect of holding the first round of the presidential election in the period “end February-beginning March 2010”. However, owing to several constraints, the treatment of complaints could not be concluded within the 38 days stipulated by the IEC, and this impacted negatively on the electoral calendar. 52. Concerning military issues, it is noteworthy that the President of the Republic signed seven decrees for harmonization of the grades and status of the soldiers of the Armed Forces of the New Forces who had been deployed in the Integrated Command Centre or had volunteered to join the new army. However, there has been little progress in the demobilization of ex-combatants, the dismantling of the militias and the deployment of ICC elements to secure the electoral process. Further, the United Nations Security Council on 29 October adopted Resolution 1893 (2009). This resolution, among others things, renewed until 31 October 2010, the sanctions imposed on Côte d’Ivoire in terms of arms embargo, measures against individuals concerning financial assets and travel restrictions, as well as the prohibition of the importation of rough diamonds from Côte d’Ivoire. l) Niger 53. The situation in Niger features on the agenda of the competent authorities of ECOWAS and the AU. In a context that was marked by the approach of the end of the second and last five-year term of office of President Mamadou Tandja, the authorities of Niger organized on 4 August 2009 a referendum to adopt a new Constitution which recognizes the transition to the 6th Republic . This referendum was boycotted by the opposition and the new Constitution was approved with a “yes” vote. The new Constitution introduced a presidential system of government, extended the term of office of President Tandja which expired on 22 December 2009 for an additional period of three (3) years and abolished the limitation on the number of terms of office a President can serve. President Tandja justified these reforms by the need to pursue the work he had started and to endow Niger with institutions that are more suited to its realities. A number of political parties and civil society organizations objected to these reforms which they see as a serious setback for the democratic process in Niger. It should also be noted that both the National Assembly, before it was dissolved in May, and the Constitutional Court which was equally dissolved in June, just before President Tandja began exercising exceptional powers, contested the legality of the initiatives taken by the authorities of Niger. The adoption of the new Constitution was followed by the holding of parliamentary elections in December 2009. 54. ECOWAS took up the issue very quickly particularly by dispatching missions to Niger to find a solution to the situation. In doing so, ECOWAS acted on the basis of the Additional Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance. This instrument proscribes any substantial reform of the electoral law within the six months preceding an election without the consent of a large majority of the political actors; it also stipulates that elections must be organized within the prescribed timeframe. At its Extraordinary Summit held in Abuja on 17 October 2009, ECOWAS was of the opinion that the holding of the referendum on 4 August and the circumstances surrounding its organization were against the spirit and the letter of the Constitution of the country and was in flagrant violation of the Additional Protocol of ECOWAS on Democracy and Good Governance. The Summit decided to impose sanctions against