Communique of the 1069th PSC meeting held on 10 March 2022 considering the Conclusions of the Inaugural Joint Retreat of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the African Peer Review Mechanism (eThekwini Conclusions)

UNION AFRICAINE

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PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 1069™ MEETING 10 MARCH 2022 ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

PSC/PR/COMM.1069 (2022)

COMMUNIQUE

COMMUNIQUE

Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1069^th meeting held on 10 March 2022 considering the Conclusions of the Inaugural Joint Retreat of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the African Peer Review Mechanism (eThekwini Conclusions):

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling Assembly Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.758 (XXIII)] adopted during the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Union, held on 9- 10 February 2020, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, highlighting Article 6 (3) of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Statute (2020) which provides that the APRM shall contribute to early warning for conflict prevention within the continent, in harmony and synergy with the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and African Governance Architecture (AGA);

Also recalling Assembly Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.686 (XXX)] adopted during the 30th Ordinary session of Heads of States and Government held on 28-29 January 2018, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, welcoming the steps to position the APRM as an early warning tool for conflict prevention on the Continent, in the context of harmony and synergy between the APRM, APSA and AGA;

Further recalling its previous decisions and pronouncements on the APRM, particularly Communiques [PSC/PR/COMM.(CMLXII)] adopted at its 962^nd meeting held on 5 November 2020, and [(PSC/PR/COMM.(CMXIV)] adopted at its 914th meeting held on 5 March 2020;

Faithful to the relevant provisions of the AU Constitutive Act, the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, particularly Article 13 on the Continental Early Warning System;

Noting the opening remarks by H.E. Ambassador Prof. Mafa Sejanamane, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Lesotho and Chairperson of the PSC for March 2022, and the statement by H.E. Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; also noting the presentations by H.E. Ambassador Tesfaye Yilma Sabo, Permanent Representative ofthe Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Co-Chair ofthe Inaugural Joint Retreat and Chairperson of the PSC for December 2021, and the representative of the APRM delegated by H.E. Prof. Eddy Maloka, Chief Executive Officer of the APRM;

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

1. Commends the Government of the Republic of South Africa, in its capacity as the Chairperson of the APR Focal Points, for the successful hosting of the Inaugural Joint Retreat of the PSC and the APRM, from 19 to 21 December 2021, in Durban, KwaZulu Natal Province;

2. Expresses profound appreciation to H.E. Ambassador Tesfaye Yilma Sabo, Permanent Representative ofthe Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Co-Chair ofthe Inaugural Joint

Retreat and Chairperson ofthe PSC for December 2021, and H.E. Ambassador Ombeni Yohana Sefue, Co-Chair of the Inaugural Retreat and Chairperson of the African Peer Review (APR) Panel of Eminent Persons, for the successful conduct of the Joint Retreat;

3. Adopts the Conclusions of the Inaugural Joint Retreat of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union and the African Peer Review Mechanism and endorses the agreement to refer to the Conclusions as eThekwini Conclusions;

4. Decides to institutionalise the annual holding of the Joint Retreat between the PSC and APRM, and in this regard, looks forward to the Second Joint Retreat to be held in Durban, at a date to be jointly agreed upon in due course;

5. Underscores the importance of inviting other relevant stakeholders to the second Joint Retreat, such as the Panel ofthe Wise, Pan-African Network ofthe Wise and FemWise, to share experiences with the APR Panel of Eminent Persons Panel and carve out areas where they can collaborate in conflict prevention;

6. Encourages Member States which are yet to accede to the APRM to do so to achieve the targeted universal ascension by 2023 in accordance with the 10 Year Implementation Plan of Agenda 2063, and to ensure that good governance is enhanced as enshrined in the African Union Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Cooperate Governance adopted during the 6^th Summit of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government implementation committee, held on 9 March 2003 in Abuja, Nigeria;

7. Calls on the APRM to strengthen its prevention mechanisms and to increase awareness-raising actions towards African Union Member States in order to play fully its role in anticipating crises and conflicts, in particular, prevention of unconstitutional changes and building institutional capacities with a view to promoting the rule of law, democracy and good governance, in accordance with pertinent instruments of African Union, particularly, Algiers Summit Decision in July 1999 about unconstitutional changes of Governments and the African Charter for Democracy, Elections and Good Governance in 2007;

8. Applauds the APRM and PSC Secretariats for the organisation of the Inaugural Joint Retreat; and expresses appreciation to the partners, the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for their support in the organisation and successful holding of the Inaugural Joint Retreat;

9. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.