AFRICAN UNION
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 3243 Tel.: (251-11) 5513 822 Fax: (251-11) 5519 321
Email: situationroom@africa-unioruorg
PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 952nd MEETING 6 OCTOBER 2020 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
PSC/PR/COMM. (CMLII)
COMMUNIQUE
COMMUNIQUE
Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 952nd meeting held on 6 October 2020, on the situation in Sudan,
The Peace and Security Council,
Taking note of the opening remarks made by the Permanent Representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt to the AU and PSC Chairperson for the month of October 2020, Ambassador Osama Abdelkhalik; the statement made by the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui; the presentation made by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission to the Sudan, Ambassador Mohamed Belaiche; and the statements by the Representative of the Republic of Sudan, Ambassador Gamal Elsheikh Ahmed; and the Representative of the Republic of Sudan, in its capacity as the Chairperson of Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD);
Recalling its previous decisions on the situation in Sudan, in particular, Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.(CMXXXI)] adopted at its 931st meeting held on 17 June 2020 and Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.(CMVI)] adopted at its 906th meeting held on 30 January 2020, as well as Communique [PSC/PR/COMM (DCCCLXXXIV)] adopted at its 884th meeting held on 10 October 2019;
Inspired by aspirations 3 and 4 of Agenda 2063, seeking to promote a universal culture of good governance, democratic values, gender equality, respect for human rights, and justice and the rule of law; as well as a dialogue-centred approach towards conflict prevention and resolution in pursuit of a peaceful and prosperous Africa;
Reaffirming the solidarity of the African Union with the Sudanese people and the Sudanese Transitional Authorities in their aspirations to constitutional order, that will enable them to make progress in their efforts towards the democratic transformation of the country; also reaffirming its commitment for the respect or the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Sudan.
Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council
Welcomes the signing of the peace agreement on 3 October 2020 between the Transitional Government of Sudan, the Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF) and Sudan Liberation Movement of Minni Minnawi (SLM-MM), paving the way for the restoration of peace in the country; and in this regard, urges the signatory parties to implement the provisions of the peace agreement and ensure the prevalence of durable peace in Sudan;
Also welcomes the earlier signing of a joint agreement on principles on 3 September 2020 by the Prime Minister of the Transitional Government of Sudan, Abdalla Hamdok, and the Chairman of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N-AH), Abdelaziz al-Hilu, signaling a positive step towards maintaining the cessation of hostilities and creating the conducive conditions for all parties to find a constructive and just political solution for the benefit of all people of Sudan, and expresses its encouragement with the announcement by the South Sudanese mediation that the negotiations will resume with SPLM-N-AI Hilu during the 3rd week of the month of October in Juba;
Pays tribute to the relentless efforts deployed by South Sudan and President H.E Salva Kiir Mayardit in hosting the peace talks and mediating between the parties resulting in this commendable milestone for the people of Sudan;
Also pays tribute to the unwavering commitment and efforts of the guarantors and witnesses of the peace agreement, particularly the AU, Sudan's neighboring countries, IGAD countries, UN, and the Friends of Sudan in accompanying Sudan's quest quest for peace, security and socio-economic development;
Commends the Sudanese authorities and all the relevant stakeholders for their ongoing dialogue, cooperation and commitment to inclusively address the myriad challenges facing the country and their contributions towards the finalization of the peace agreement; and encourages all stakeholders to remain committed to the implementation of all the articles and timelines of the signed Peace Agreement as well as the constitutional declaration, including the establishment of the Transitional Legislative Assembly by 3 December 2020;
Calls on the non-signatory parties to the Peace Agreement, including Mr Abdul Wahid Mohammed al-Nur and the Sudan Liberation Movement, to uphold the national interests of the country above individual ones, to immediately and unconditionally engage with the peace process and committo the cessation of hostilities and renunciation of violence; and in this regard, urges for further engagement with non-signatories constructively to achieve and attain peace;
Stresses the imperative of ensuring inclusivity and the meaningful participation of women and the youth in decision making and peace building at all levels, in recognition of their fundamental role in efforts towards conflict prevention and resolution to attain sustainable peace in the country;
Underlines the importance of the implementation of effective programs for disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) aimed at ensuring a stable environment for other development and recovery activities; and encourages the Transitional Sudanese authorities to sensitize all parties to commit to the DDR aimed at curbing the proliferation of small and light weapons;
Underlines the urgency for the AU Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development (AU PCRD), through the AUPCRD Center and in close collaboration with the Transitional Government of Sudan, to identify the needs and priorities, initiate and promote post-conflict stabilization, development and reconstruction projects geared towards tackling the root causes of the conflict, consolidate peace and avoid relapse to violence;
Reiterates its appeal to the international community and organizations, in particular the United States of America (USA), to expeditiously lift all sanctions and other punitive measures imposed against Sudan including removal from the List of State Sponsors of Terrorism (STT), without any additional conditions, to facilitate economic recovery and socio-economic development of the country; and in this context, acknowledges the ongoing engagements between the USA and the Transitional Government of Sudan in addressing outstanding issues pertaining to the removal of Sudan from the USA's list of STT to facilitate access to international funding;
Expresses deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Sudan, which has been exacerbated by floods, desert locust infestation and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; and reiterates its appeal to all AU Member States and the broader international community, to continue providing humanitarian support to alleviate human suffering and facilitate the restoration of dignity for the people of Sudan;
Calls upon all international partners to expeditiously honor their pledges announced during the High Level Conference on Partnership with Sudan in June 2020 and to demonstrate genuine and meaningful commitment towards supporting Sudan in overcoming the current difficult economic, financial and monetary situation;
Encourages the international community, especially Sudan's neighboring countries, IGAD and the broader AU Member States, to continue providing political, technical, economic and diplomatic support to Sudan and its people aimed at consolidating the gains made with the signing of the peace agreement as well as addressing the dire economic challenges facing the country;
Welcomes the ongoing discussions between Sudan, AU and the UN on the drawdown of African Union United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and the full operationalization of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS); in this connection, looks forward to the upcoming joint visit by the Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui, and the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, and encourages them to impress upon the Sudanese parties to redouble their collective efforts to consolidate the peace gains and resolve any outstanding matter;
Decides to remain seized of the matter.