Communique of the 1017th meeting of the PSC held on 5 August 2021, on AU Support to Member States in Political Transition and Post-Conflict Situations

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PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 1017™ MEETING

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA 5 AUGUST 2021

PSC/PR/COMM. 1017(2021)

COMMUNIQUE

COMMUNIQUE

Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1017th meeting held on 5 August 2021, on AU Support to Member States in Political Transition and Post-Conflict Situations.

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.(CMLVIII)] adopted at its 958th meeting held on 23 October 2020 and Communique [PSC/MIN/COMM. (DCCCXCIX)] adopted at its 899th meeting held at ministerial level on 5 December 2019, in Luanda, Angola;

Recalling Decision [Assembly / AU / Dec. 408 (XVIII)], adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government ofthe African Union, at its 18^th Ordinary session, held in Addis Ababa, on 29 and 30 January 2012, and the launching of the African Solidarity Initiative (ASI), in order to promote mutual support, cooperation and intra-African assistance (Africa Helps Africa), to translate into facts the doctrine "African solutions to African problems", also recalling the Decision [ Assembly / AU / Dec.425 (XIX)] on the African Solidarity Initiative to Support Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development in Africa adopted by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, at its Nineteenth Ordinary Session on 15 and 16 July 2012, in Addis Ababa, as well as Decision [Assembly / AU / Dec.729 (XXXII)] on the African Solidarity Initiative, adopted by the 32^nd Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held on 9 and 10 February 2020;

Determined to further enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of AU support to all Member States in political transition and post-conflict situations, in order to build durable peace, entrench democratic governance and culture, prevent relapses to cycles of violence, within the context of efforts to silence the guns in the African Continent;

Noting the opening statement by H.E. Ambassador Churchill Ewumbue-Monono, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cameroon to the AU and Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council for August, the statements by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; the representatives ofthe Central African Republic, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the State of Libya, The Gambia and Somalia;

Also noting the statements delivered by the representatives of the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), including the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN- SAD), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the East African Standby Force Coordination Mechanism (EASFCOM), the North African Regional Capability (NARC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC); as well as by the representatives of the African Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Delegation to the AU; and

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

1. Commends the AU Commission for the efforts being deployed in providing support to Member States in political transition and those in post-conflict situations, particularly in the areas of constitutionalism and elections, governance and rule of law, human rights, transitional justice, security sector reform (SSR), disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), National reconciliation, the deployment of peace support operations, technical expertise, preventive diplomacy and mediation, consolidating youth and women participation in peacebuilding;

2. In addition, commends H.E. President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt, for his sterling efforts, as the AU Champion for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) as mandated by the Decision[Assembly/AU/Dec.729(XXXII)] adopted by the 32nd Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held from 9 to 10 February 2020, including His Excellency's leadership in mobilizing support for PCRD programs and the AU Center for Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development based in Cairo, Egypt.

3. Highlights the fact that Post Conflict Reconstruction development is part of the dual framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture, and the African Governance Architecture and the African Solidarity Initiative (ASI) and in this regard, requests the Chairperson of the Commission, in close consultations with member states, to review the AU PCRD Policy framework in order to ensure that it is adaptable to the contemporary dynamics in Member States in political transition and post-conflict situations, and to present it for adoption by the Peace and Security Council, while taking into account the need to revitalize African Solidarity Initiative (ASI) that was launched by Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.408(XVIII)], adopted by the Assembly of the Union ;

4. Underlines the importance of ensuring that all AU peace building and consolidation efforts in Member States fully adapts to the new conflict dynamics such as the impact of climate change and environmental degradation; the effect of public health emergencies of international concern, including the Ebola Virus Disease and the COVID-19 pandemic, which often undermine peace efforts, exacerbate existing challenges, like humanitarian crises, resulting in reversals in the gains already made in peace processes, thereby contributing to the plethora of existing structural root causes of violent conflicts in the Member States directly affected;

5. Emphasizes the need for the AU Commission and the RECs/RMs to further enhance their collaboration and coordination in supporting Member States in political transition and post-conflict situations, including in implementing peace agreements and promoting preventive diplomacy and Mediation; in this regard, underscores the importance of partnerships of the AU Commission with AU Member States, regional and international partners in implementing peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction development projects;

6. Stresses the primary responsibility of Member States in political transitions and post­conflict situations to ensure the success of transition processes, the stabilization as well as peacebuilding and, in this context, prevent relapse into conflict, and underscores the importance of inclusive nationally owned and driven processes that leave no one behind and encourage effective participation of women, the youth and minorities in the transition and post-conflict reconstruction and peacebuilding processes;

7. Welcomes the pilot PCRD awareness-raising week, being planned by the AU Commission to be commemorated annually, in November, starting in 2021, which will coincide with the fifteenth (15th) anniversary of the adoption of the AU PCRD Policy Framework in 2006, in Banjul, The Gambia and, to this end, encourages all Member States and RECs/RMs to support this initiative;

8. Appeals to all Member States, that are in a position to do so, the AU Commission and RECs/RMs, to intensify the provision of necessary technical, knowledge and financial resources and assistance to those Member States in political transition and post-conflict situations,, including, as needed, in the areas of constitution-making, security sector reforms (SSR), disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), as well as providing support to African Island States in the field of maritime security in this regard, underscores that national capacity building, and national ownership are fundamental principles of post conflict reconstruction development projects;

9. Underscores the need for scaling up resource mobilization efforts; and in this regard, commends all international partners for their continued support to AU Member States in political transition and post-conflict situations, especially the European Union for committing resources towards supporting the AU efforts in many Member States in transition and post-conflict situations, including to the Central African Republic, Chad, the Kingdom of Lesotho, Mali and Somalia, and encourages the all relevant stakeholders, including International partners, international and regional financial institutions, and the private sector, to support the AU efforts in this regard;

10. Further commends the AU Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as well as the UN Peacebuilding Commission (UNPBC) for the continued support to African countries in political transition and post-conflict situation and urges the importance of ensuring coordination, harmonization and complementarity of all support rendered to such Member States in order to guarantee greater impact, and direct effective response to the specific priority needs ofthe concerned Member States;

11. Emphasizes the utmost importance for sustainable resources for quick impact and peace strengthening projects, with a view to ensuring that the affected populations enjoy peace dividend and fully commit to and support peace-making, peacebuilding and peace consolidation efforts;

12. Also reiterates the imperative for regional collaborative responses to conflict contexts such as the Regional Stabilization Strategy for the Lake Chad Basin area, and the Stabilization Strategy for Sahel region and encourages other regions to emulate such approach, bearing in mind their own specific peculiarities;

13. Further highlights the urgent need for improved mechanisms for effectively building the resilience of all Small Developing Member States pursuant to the Declaration [Assembly/AU/Decl.3 (XXIII)], adopted by the AU Assembly during the 23^rd Ordinary Session held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, from 26 to 27 June 2014;

14. Reiterates the call for the reactivation ofthe PSC Sub-Committee on PCRD, to provide the necessary political leadership and oversight, regarding PCRD activities;

15. Also renews the request for the Chairperson of the Commission to submit a comprehensive report on the implementation ofthe AU PCRD activities, as soon as possible, covering the status of the African Solidarity Initiative, detailing progress, opportunities and challenges, as well as lessons learnt in the AU support to Member States in political transition and post-conflict situations;

16. Decides to remain seized ofthe matter.