Communique of the 861st meeting of the PSC held on 22 July 2019, on the adoption of the Manual on the Working Methods of the AU PSC and the Conclusions of the Retreat on Strengthening the Working Methods of the PSC in Conflict Prevention, Conflict Management and Peace Consolidation in Africa

UNION AFRICAINE

<A/»i jUhi

P. O. Box 3243, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tel.: (251-11) 551 38 22 Fax: (251-11) 519321

Email: situationroom@africa-union.orK

PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL

861^st MEETING

22 JULY 2019

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

PSC/PR/COMM.(DCCCLXI)

COMMUNIQUE

COMMUNIQUE

Adopted by the Peace and Security Council at its 861^st meeting held on 22 July 2019, on the adoption of the Manual on the Working Methods of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the Conclusions of the Retreat on Strengthening the Working Methods of the PSC in Conflict Prevention, Conflict Management and Peace Consolidation in Africa,

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling its previous decisions on working methods of the PSC, in particular communique [PSC/PR/Comm(LXXXV)] of its 85^th meeting held on 8 August 2007, in which Council decided to review the working methods, on a regular basis, and to adjust them as the need arises; Further recalling the AU Assembly decisions on the on-going AU Institutional Reforms, particularly decision Assembly/AU/Dec.635(XXVIII), adopted on 30 and 31 January 2017, which called for the PSC to be reformed to ensure that it meets the ambition foreseen in its Protocol, including strengthening its working methods and its role in conflict prevention and crisis management.;

Noting the presentations by the PSC Chairperson, Ambassador Sebade Toba, Permanent Representative of the Togolese Republic to the African Union and the PSC Secretariat, on the Manual on the Working Methods of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the Conclusions of the Retreat on strengthening the working methods of the PSC in Conflict Prevention, Conflict Management and Peace Consolidation in Africa, which were considered by the PSC during its Retreat held from 24 to 26 June 2019, in Rabat, Morocco;

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:

1. Commends the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco for having hosted, from 24 to 26 June 2019 in Rabat, the Retreat of the PSC on the Manual on the Working Methods of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and on strengthening the working methods of the PSC in Conflict Prevention, Conflict Management and Peace Consolidation in Africa;

2. Expresses its appreciation to the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Chairperson of the PSC for the month of June 2019, for the successful conduct of the Retreat; Further expresses appreciation to the PSC Committee of Experts for developing the Manual on the Working Methods of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union under the leadership of the Republic of Rwanda, in its capacity as Chairperson of the PSC for May 2019;

3. Adopts the Manual on the Working Methods of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the Conclusions of the Retreat on strengthening the working methods of the PSC in Conflict Prevention, Conflict Management and Peace Consolidation in Africa; Decides to submit the Manual on the Working Methods of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the Conclusions of the Retreat on strengthening the working methods of the PSC in Conflict Prevention, Conflict Management and Peace Consolidation in Africa to the upcoming ordinary session of the Assembly of the Union to be held in January/February 2020, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for endorsement;

4. Agrees to continue to review its working methods regularly and to adjust them, as the need arises, to enable Council to effectively address the threats to peace, security and stability in Africa;

5. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.