Communiqué of the 515th Meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union at the Level of Heads of State and Government on South Sudan

AFRICAN UNION

A/n jUhi

UNION AFRICAINE

UNIAO AFRICANA

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 3243 Tel.: (251-11) 5513 822 Fax: (251-11) 5519 321

Email: situationroom@africa-union.org

PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 515™ MEETING AT THE LEVEL OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT

13 JUNE 2015

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

PSC/AHG/C0MM.1 (DXV)

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 515^th meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 13 June 2015, at the level of Heads of State and Government, adopted the following decision on the situation in South Sudan:

Council,

1. Takes note of the report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in South Sudan [PSC/AHG/2(DXV)], as well as of the update provided by the Chairman of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn of Ethiopia, on the IGAD-led mediation efforts and the statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of South Sudan. Council also takes note of the statement made by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN);

2. Reaffirms all its earlier communiques and press statements on the situation in South Sudan, including communique PSC/AHG/COMM.l (CDLXXXIV) adopted at its 484^th meeting held at the level of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, on 29 January 2015; press statement PSC/PR/BR.l (CDXCIV), adopted at its 494^th meeting held in Addis Ababai on 24 March 2015; and press statement PSC/PR/BR.(DX), adopted at its 510^th meeting, held in Swakopmund, Namibia, on 22 May 2015;

3. Reiterates the AU's deep concern at the prevailing situation on the ground, marked by continued fighting and attacks against civilians, as well as by a dire humanitarian crisis, including forced displacement, acute food insecurity, access restrictions and other impediments to humanitarian assistance;

4. Strongly condemns all the ceasefire violations committed by the parties, as reported by the IGAD Monitoring and Verification Mechanism (MVM), as well as the attacks and other egregious acts of violence and abuses of human rights against civilians, including during the fighting in Upper Nile and Unity States in the months of April and May 2015. Council further condemns in the strongest terms the attacks and other acts of violence and harassment targeting the humanitarian agencies and their personnel and assets. Council commends the humanitarian agencies for their continued assistance to the affected populations and, once again, urges all concerned actors to fully cooperate with them;

5. Also strongly condemns all restrictions and other acts obstructing the implementation of the mandates of the MVM and the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). Council reiterates its full support to the MVM and UNMISS, and demands that the belligerents extend full cooperation to them to facilitate the discharge of their respective mandates;

6. Commends the Chairperson of IGAD and the other leaders of the region, as well as the Team of IGAD Special Envoys, for their sustained efforts in facilitating a negotiated political solution to the conflict in South Sudan;

7. Notes with disappointment the continued failure and unwillingness of the leaders of the warring parties to make a compromise and reach an agreement to end the conflict in their country and the untold suffering inflicted on their own people. Council stresses that the continuation of hostilities, in total disregard of the suffering of the people, is tantamount to the abdication by the South Sudanese leaders of their most fundamental responsibility to their own people;

8. Welcomes the steps taken towards the implementation of the Arusha Agreement of 21 January 2015, and notes the efforts of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) of Tanzania and the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa in this regard, aimed at reuniting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and the subsequent return of the former political detainees. Council encourages all parties, and in particular the former detainees, to fully play the role expected of them in fostering dialogue and understanding among the SPLM leaders, in the overall interest of their country and people, as part of the search for peace, security and reconciliation in South Sudan;

9. Welcomes the convening of the inaugural meeting of the AU High-Level ad hoc Committee for South Sudan, established pursuant to communique PSC/PR/COMM(CDLXXIV) adopted at its 474^th meeting held on 5 December 2014, as well as of the consultative meeting that it held with the IGAD Heads of State and Government, in Johannesburg, on 13 June 2015. Council commends the members of the ad hoc Committee for the commitment they have shown in accepting this responsibility and looks forward to their active contribution to the search for peace in South Sudan, in close coordination with IGAD. Council notes with satisfaction that the ad hoc Committee has agreed on the key elements of its work programme for the coming weeks;

10. Further welcomes the appointment, by the Chairperson of the Commission, of former President of Mali, Alpha Oumar Konare, as the AU High Representative for South Sudan. Council commends former President Konare for accepting this responsibility and assures him of its full support in the discharge of his mandate, in coordination with the ad hoc Committee;

11. Recalls its previous pronouncements on the need to take the necessary measures, in coordination with IGAD, against any party that fails to honour its commitments and continues to undermine the search for a negotiated solution to the conflict, in line with UN Security Council resolution 2206 (2015) of 3 March 2015. In this regard, Council calls for urgent steps by the Sanctions Committee, established pursuant to resolution 2206 (2015), to designate individuals and entities subject to the measures provided for therein, and reaffirms all the other steps agreed upon in press statement PSC/PR/BR.(DX). Council requests the Chairperson of the Commission to take the necessary follow-up measures, including formally communicating this decision to the UN Secretary-General and, through him, to the UN Security Council;

12. Decides to convene a ministerial-level meeting by mid-July 2015, to consider the report of the AU Commission of Inquiry established pursuant to communique PSC/AHG/COMM.l (CDLXXXIV) adopted at its 484^th meeting, held in Banjul, The Gambia, on 30 December 2013, to investigate human rights violations and other abuses committed during the armed conflict in South Sudan and make recommendations on the best way and means to ensure accountability, reconciliation and healing among all South Sudanese communities;

13. Reiterates its call to AU Member States and the larger international community to provide the necessary financial resources to meet the humanitarian needs in South Sudan, noting that less than 15% of the humanitarian response plan is funded;

14. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.