AFRICAN UNION
UNION AFRICAINE
UNIAO AFRICANA
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, P.O. Box: 3243 Tel.: (251-11) 5513 822 Fax: (251-11) 5519 321
Email: situationroom@africa-uniorLorg PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 1047th MEETING
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA 12 NOVEMBER 2021
PSC/PR/COMM.1047(2021)
COMMUNIQUE
COMMUNIQUE
Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1047th meeting held on 12 November 2021, on Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) in Africa
The Peace and Security Council,
Recalling Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.729 (XXXII)] on the African Solidarity Initiative adopted by the 32nd Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State held from 9 to 10 February 2020; as well as all its pronouncements and decisions on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development, in particular, Communique [PSC/PR/COMM. 1017 (2021)] adopted at its 1017th meeting held on 5 August 2021; Communique [PSC/PR/COMM. (CMLVIII)] adopted at its 958th meeting held on 23 October 2020; as well as Communique [ PSC/MIN/COMM. (DCCCXCIX)] adopted at its 899th meeting held at ministerial level on 5 December 2019;
Determined to further strengthen and enhance the effectiveness of AU PCRD interventions in Member States in post-conflict settings and those in political transition; and Deeply concerned by relapses in some Member States in post-conflict situations, back to the cycle of violent conflicts and also by the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government in other Member States;
Mindful of the critical role of PCRD efforts in contributing towards strengthening the capacity and resilience of Sate institutions, as well as in promoting good governance, peacebuilding and conflict prevention;
Noting the opening remarks by Permanent Representative of the Arab Republic of Egypt and PSC Chairperson for the month of November 2021, H.E. Ambassador Mohamed Omar Gad; the presentations by the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, as well as by the Executive Director for the Cairo Centre for Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding in Africa (CCCPA), Dr. Ahmed Nehad Abdel- Latif; the statements by the Special Representative ofthe United Nations Secretary-General and Head ofthe UN Office to the African Union, H.E. Hannah Tetteh; as well as by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of The Gambia to the African Union, H.E. Ambassador, Ms Jeinaba Jagne; and
Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council,
Commends the efforts being deployed by the AU Commission in support of Member States in political transition and those emerging from violent conflicts;
Highlights the launching of the AU PCRD Awareness Week, from 7 to 14 November 2021 and underscores the importance of institutionalizing and regularizing it as an annual event;
Welcomes the role of the AU Champion of Post Conflict Reconstruction Development H.E. Mr. Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt and in this regard, underlines the importance of mainstreaming PCRD in all activities of the AU, as well as the importance of harmonizing national, regional and Continental PCRD efforts under the leadership ofthe AU PCRD Centre in Cairo;
Commends the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) for their continued support to Member States emerging from violent conflicts and those in political transitions and underscores the importance of close collaboration and coordination of efforts with the AU Commission, in this regard;
Underlines the importance of establishing and strengthening national capacities for PCRD; and in this regard, recognizes the potential contribution by dedicated African centers and institutions working on PCRD and PB programs;
Calls for the urgent review ofthe AU PCRD Policy Framework in order to ensure that it is re-aligned and adaptable to the emerging challenges in the Continental peace and security landscape, including cross-border security threats such as terrorism and influx of foreign fighters, climate change-related phenomena such as drought and floods, public health emergencies of international concern such as epidemics and pandemics which negatively impact on PCRD efforts, such as the Ebola Virus Disease and the COVID-19 pandemic;
Highlights the criticality of widening the scope of AU PCRD activities by incorporating a peacebuilding dimension to them, thus covering the entire conflict cycle phase, namely preconflict, conflict, and post-conflict. In this regard, emphasizes the need to include the peacebuilding dimension when reviewing the AU PCRD Policy Framework.
Underscores the importance of holistically and comprehensively addressing the underlying fundamental root causes and drivers of violent conflicts and to this end, calls for the urgent revitalization ofthe AU inter-Departmental task force on PCRD;
Welcomes the upcoming inauguration and full operationalization of the AU Centre for Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development and requests the Chairperson of the Commission to ensure that he Centre is availed with all necessary resources, in order for it to more effectively discharge its mandate, as well as to ensure that the Centre works in close coordination and collaboration with the UN Peacebuilding Commission and other relevant UN Agencies;
Stresses the importance of context/country-specific support, national ownership, national priorities, collective efforts, as well as inclusive approaches to PCRD, which facilitate the active participation of women, youth, internally displaced persons and the private sector and, in this regard, encourages the AU Commission, through the AU PCRD Center, to always work closely with the beneficiary Member States in conducting technical needs assessments, planning, designing, implementing, as well as in monitoring and evaluation of PCRD programmes;
Underlines the urgent need for the revitalization of the African Solidarity Initiative (ASI) as an important framework for mobilization of in-kind support from within the Continent in favor of Member States emerging from violent conflicts and those in political transitions, and to this effect, encourages Member States in a position to do so, to extend material, financial and technical support to Member States in political transition and post-conflict situations;
Emphasizes the importance of adequate, predictable and sustainable resources for AU PCRD efforts and, in this context, encourages the AU PCRD Centre to work closely with the UN Peacebuilding Commission, as well as the importance for the AU Commission to redouble its resource mobilization efforts, among others, by engaging the African Development Bank, the African private sector and African stakeholder-organizations, as well as international financial institutions, including the World Bank;
Underlines the importance of comprehensive disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of former combatants, as well as security sector reforms (SSR) and emphasizes the need for availing adequate, predictable and sustainable funding, to this effect;
Expresses deep appreciation to all bilateral and international development partners for their continued support to AU PCRD efforts;
Decides to remain actively seize of the matter