Communique of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 645th meeting held on 22 December 2016, adopted the following decision on the mandate of the AU High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan and South Sudan (AUHIP):

AFRICAN UNION

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 645™ MEETING

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA 22 DECEMBER 2016

PSC/PR/COMM.(DCXLV)

COMMUNIQUE

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 645^th meeting held on 22 December 2016, adopted the following decision on the mandate of the AU High-Level Implementation Panel on Sudan and South Sudan (AUHIP):

Council,

1. Takes note of the briefing provided by the Commission on the activities of the AU High- Level Implementation Panel on Sudan and South Sudan (AUHIP);

2. Recalls its earlier communiques and press statements on the activities of the AUHIP, including communique PSC/PR/COMM.(DLXII) adopted at its 562^nd meeting held on 10 December 2015, which extended the mandate of the AUHIP until 31 December 2016;

3. Commends the Chairperson of the AUHIP, PresidentThabo Mbeki, and its members, Presidents Abdulsalami Abubakar and Pierre Buyoya, as well as the support team, fortheir patient and unwavering engagement towards the full implementation of the mandate of the Panel in Sudan and South Sudan, as well as the Horn of Africa, dating back to the establishment of the AU Panel on Darfur (AUPD) in July 2008 [PSC/MIN/COMM(CXLII)], as well as in line with the communique [PSC/AHG/COMM/2.(CCCXCVII)] of its 397^th meeting, held on 23 September 2013, at the level of the Heads of State and Government;

4. Decides to extend the mandate of the AUHIP for another period of twelve (12) months, starting from 1 January 2017;

5. Requests the AUHIP to present to Council a comprehensive report on its activities, as soon as possible;

6. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.