AFRICAN UNION A/n juhi
UNIAO AFRICANA
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 1067™ MEETING 3 MARCH 2022 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
PSC/PR/COMM. 1067 (2022)
COMMUNIQUE
COMMUNIQUE
Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1067th meeting held on 3 March 2022 on the theme: Youth, Peace and Security in Africa:
The Peace and Security Council,
Recalling the African Youth Charter adopted by the 7th Ordinary Session of AU Assembly of Heads of States and Government held in Banjul, The Gambia, on 2 July 2006, particularly, Article 17, which recognizes the important role of the youth in promoting peace and security in Africa;
Also recalling Assembly Decisions related to the theme, including [Assembly/AU/Dec.591 (XXVI)], adopted by the AU Assembly of Heads of State and government at its 26th Ordinary Session held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 30 to 31 January 2016, and [Assembly/AU/Dec.753(XXXIII)] adopted by the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government at its 33rd Ordinary Session held from 9 to 10 February 2020, as well as the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020);
Further recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on Youth Peace and Security, particularly Press Statement [PSC/PR/BR.(CMLXIII)] adopted at its 963rd meeting held on 12 November 2020, and Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.(CMXXXIII)] adopted at its 933rd meeting held on 23 June 2020;
Faithful to the realization of Agenda 2063, particularly, Aspirations 4 and 6, envisioning a peaceful and secure Africa and an Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential offered by its people, especially women and youth and caring for children;
Noting the opening remarks made by H.E. Prof. Mafa M. Sejanamane, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Lesotho to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for March 2022, the statement read by H.E Ambassador William Awinador-Kanyirige on behalf of H.E. Ambassador Adeoye Bankole, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, and the statement by H.E. Ms. Hanna Tetteh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the African Union and Head of the United Nations Office to the African Union;
Also noting the statement made by Ms. Chido Cleo Mpemba, the Special Envoy of the Chairperson ofthe AU Commission on Youth, and statements by Ms. Kadiddatou SakoTraore and Mr. Joseph Akilimali, as well as the statements submitted by the representatives of the AU Member States, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RECs/RMs), partners and other relevant stakeholders;
Reaffirming the AU's commitment to include youth in peace and security processes in the Continent and to find solutions to the root causes ofthe crises and conflicts that affect African youth and hinder their legitimate aspirations for well-being, development and justice; and
Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:
Welcomes the appointment of the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the AU Commission on Youth, Ms. Chido Cleo Mpemba, and the assumption of office of the second cohort of the African Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAPs) following their endorsement by the 35th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in February 2022, namely: Mr. Achaleke Christian Leke, Central Africa; Ms. Diana Paulo Chando, East Africa; Ms. Khouloud Baghouri, North Africa; Ms. Cynthia Chigwenya, Southern Africa, and Mr. Mohamed Kunta, West Africa;
Commends the first cohort of AYAPs, whose tenure ended in February 2022, for their contributions in advancing the meaningful participation of young peacebuilders across the Continent; and notes with appreciation the AYAPs' contributions to the 'AU Youth Silencing the Guns Campaign in 2020, the respective youth, peace and security priorities across the five regions, collaboration with RECs/RMs and support to the Office of the Youth Envoy throughout their tenure;
Emphasizes the imperative of close collaboration between the Special Envoy on Youth and the AYAPs, as well as Youth Focal Points in the RECs/RMs and various youth networks for peace to ensure that efforts and programs are context-specific, and these are aligned to the realities in a given setting;
Applauds the youth for their resilience and proactiveness, which contributed to Africa's ability to cope with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and other positive contributions towards peace and security challenges facing the Continent, including through advocacy, prevention and efforts to counter violent extremism; requests the African Centre for Studies and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) in Algiers to conduct a study on youth indoctrination in Africa and on the prevention of the risks of radicalization and violent extremism among young people;
Commends Member States which have already signed, ratified and domesticated the African Youth Charter and encourages those Member States, which are yet to do so, to do the same; also encourages Member states to redouble efforts in the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolutions 2250 (2015) and 2419 (2018);
Commends the Federal Government of Nigeria for being the first country in Africa to develop its National Action Plans on youth, peace and security; in this regard, encourages Member States to do the same;
Welcomes the convening and the outcomes of the 4th edition of the World Youth Forum in Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt in January 2022 and the valuable participation of Africa and the African Union therein;
Encourages the AU Commission to engage with the Presidency of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27), set to take place in Egypt in November 2022, and its designated instruments, to advance the role of African Youth in the lead-up to and during the conference to advocate for Africa's priorities in Climate Change,
Underscores the important role that the youth play at national, regional and continental levels in the prevention of violence, the promotion of peace, security, stability and socioeconomic development and building foundations for peaceful societies, within the framework of the implementation ofthe AU Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns in Africa by the Year 2030, and Aspiration 4 of Agenda 2063, the Continental Framework on Youth Peace and Security (CFYPS) and its 10-Year Implementation Plan as well as UN Security Council Resolutions 2250 (2015), 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020);
Highlights the following actions as critical components for advancing the youth, peace and security agenda:
The imperative of sustained efforts towards creating an enabling environment and necessary political framework for meaningful youth participation in all levers of decision making and the urgent need for decision-makers to support youth-led and youth inclusive peace efforts, including in conflict prevention, resolution and management, as well as conflict transformation aimed at achieving durable peace;
The importance of robust and sustained synergy, coordination, partnership and collaboration between all relevant stakeholders, including the AU and its Member States, RECs/RMs, UN and development partners, to advance the YPS agenda and avoid duplication of efforts;
Continued collaboration between the AU Commission and RECs/RMs on the implementation of the Continental Framework on Youth Peace and Security, and AU Commission support to Member States to develop NAPs;
The strengthening of continental cooperation in the fight against drug, arms, and human trafficking, of which African youth are among the main victims; and the need to cooperate fully with the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL) and Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) and to provide them with the necessary means to improve information exchange, cross-border security, and the fight against transnational organized crime;
Steadfast efforts by the youth to continue utilizing relevant national, regional, continental, and global instruments to further enhance their impact on life transformation, and taking into specific consideration those who are vulnerable, disadvantaged and living with disabilities, as well as those displaced by conflict and refugees; and the need to mobilize the youth in the diaspora to actively engage and contribute towards building the Africa envisioned in Agenda 2063;
The need to invest in the youth in terms of research, capacity building and initiatives that empower the youth to actively carry out their roles in advancing peace and security on the Continent, and the imperative of supporting and financing youth-led initiatives to improve youth employment and employability;
Continued coordination between the African Union Departments of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Education, Science and, Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development to assess the status of the implementation of programmes aimed at youth employment creation and capacity building, taking into account the intrinsic links between security, peace and development;
viii. The importance of consistent dialogue between policymakers and young peacemakers to inform interventions in situations of conflict, transition or post-conflict and reconstruction, and the need for AU Member States, with the support of the AU Commission, to focus on developing activities, including sports activities, in favor of the youth and creating a platform to enable experience sharing among the youth across the Continent and in this regard, emphasizes the role of the AU Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) center in Cairo;
The importance of encouraging Member States to promote the political participation of young people, including within civil society organizations and political parties, in order to prepare the new generations to assume their responsibilities and fully exercise their rights and duties as citizens;
The need to include the AYAPs in the AU Elections Observer Mission and all efforts relating to elections on the Continent;
The need to encourage the Pan-African Youth Union and AYAPs in the organization of cultural activities promoting the values of respect and tolerance, in particular, on the occasion ofthe International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March), the International Day for Living Together in Peace (16 May) and the African Youth Day (1 November);
The importance of strengthening the means of communication by the AU Commission, Member States, the Pan African Youth Union and AYAPs to intensify awareness and prevention campaigns against violence, including on networks that are exploited by malicious parties to spread hate speech instead of fostering cultural togetherness and exchange;
While noting the progress made by the AU and RECs/RM on developing the Guidelines for the Development and Implementation of National Action Plans for the AU Continental Framework on Youth, Peace and Security, requests the AU Commission to submit the final document for its review; and in this regard, tasks the PSC Committee of Experts (CoE) to comprehensively review the Guidelines and enrich, as necessary, ahead of their consideration by the PSC;
Expresses appreciation to the development partners for their support to youth and their networks to advance the discussions on youth, peace and security, the Continental Framework on Youth Peace and Security and the processes towards the development and implementation of National Action Plans (NAPs);
Requests the AU Commission, in close collaboration with the RECs/RMs, to provide Member States with requisite support to develop NAPs;
Reiterates its request to the AU Commission to regularly brief the Council on the status of progress in the implementation of the 10-Year Implementation Plan of the Continental Framework on Youth, Peace and Security and challenges faced, including through periodic reports and annual briefings;
Encourages stakeholders to recognize the nexus between migration and peace, and in this context, requests the AU Commission to conduct an empirical study on youth, migration, peace and security, including the situation of young African refugees, to propose actionable policies to safeguard youth from the adverse impacts of illegal immigration and its underlying factors, taking into consideration the COVID-19 implications for migration, the need to find solutions to the African brain drain and to foster conditions of peace and stability in Africa, allowing young African refugees to return to their countries of origin and make their contribution to reconstruction and development efforts; and
Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.