Communiqué of the 1076th meeting of the PSC held on 14 April 2022, Follow-Up on the political transition processes in Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Mali and Sudan

Jurisdiction
African Regional Bodies · African Union (AU)
Citation
PSC/PR/COMM. 1076(2022)
Regional Body / Author
Peace and Security Council of the African Union
Date
14 April 2022
Language
English
Type
Communique
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AFRICAN UNION

(A/ii juwi

UNION AFRICAINE

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 1076™ MEETING

ADDIS ABABA 14 APRIL 2022

PSC/PR/COMM. 1076 (2022)

COMMUNIQUE

COMMUNIQUE

Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1076th meeting held on 14 April 2022 on the political transition processes in Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Mali and Sudan:

The Peace and Security Council,

Recalling its previous decisions on the situations in Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Mali and Sudan, and on AU Support to Member States in Political Transition and Post-conflict situations, particularly 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, and Communique [PSC/MIN/COMM. DCCCXCIX)] adopted at its 899th meeting held on 5 December 2019;

Faithful to the provisions of all relevant AU normative instruments, including the AU Constitutive Act; the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union; the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance; and the Declaration on the Framework for an OAU Response to Unconstitutional Changes of Government, adopted by the 36th Ordinary Session of the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, held in Lome, Togo, July 2000 (the Lome Declaration);

Committed to the realisation of Agenda 2063, particularly Aspiration 3, envisioning an Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law, and Aspiration 4 seeking to achieve a peaceful and secure Africa;

Noting the opening remarks made by H.E. Ambassador Willy Nyamitwe, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Burundi to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for April 2022, and H.E. Ambassador Adeoye Bankole, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security;

Also noting the presentations by H.E. Professor Mohammed Al-Hacen Lebatt, Principal Strategic Adviser of the Chairperson of the AU Commission and AU Special Envoy to Sudan; H.E. Ambassador Basile Ikouebe, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission and Head ofthe AU Office in Chad and H.E. Ambassador Maman Sidikou, High Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission and Head of the AU Mission for the Sahel (MISAHEL); Further noting the statements by the representative of the Republic of Ghana, in its capacity as the Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS);

Reaffirming the unwavering commitment ofthe AU to accompany all Member States in political transition to achieve lasting peace and entrench democratic governance and culture in accordance with the normative instruments ofthe Union;

Also reaffirming AU's commitment to respect the sovereignty, unity and the territorial integrity of Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea, Mali and Sudan, and the Union's solidarity with the people of these Member States; and

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

  1. Expresses grave concern over the persistence of conflicts and political crises adversely impacting the peace, security and stability, and humanitarian situation ofthe countries under consideration;

  2. Underlines that unconstitutional change of government grossly undermines the gains made towards achieving democracy, good governance and stability, as well as efforts promoting and consolidating durable peace and socio-economic development on the Continent;

  3. Emphasizes the importance of addressing the structural root causes and drivers of unconstitutional changes of government, as elaborated in the Accra Declaration, particularly working closely with the relevant RECs/RMs and the AU Centre on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development, identifying, initiating and promoting integrated post­conflict stabilization projects geared toward building resilience and economic recovery;

  4. Underscores the need to redouble efforts through a multidimensional approach focused on peace, security and development in accompanying these Member States in their political transitions to ensure a timely and successful return to democratic and constitutional dispensation;

  5. Takes note of the ongoing political processes and mediation efforts by the relevant Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) in the Member States in transition as a constructive means towards the restoration of effective and inclusive governance and constitutional order;

  6. Endorses the Communique of the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States on the political situation in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali adopted on 25 March 2022 as a collective, concerted approach in response to conflict management and stability in West Africa;

Sudan

  1. Welcomes the efforts by the AU, IGAD and United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) to jointly facilitate the intra-Sudanese consultations aimed at reaching an agreement to restore constitutional order in the country; and, in this regard, expresses commitment to support the trilateral facilitation process;

  2. Applauds the tireless efforts of Professor Mohammed Al-Hacen Lebatt, Chief of Staff of the Chairperson of the AU Commission and AU Special Envoy to Sudan, in convening these intra-Sudanese consultations;

  3. Underscores the primacy of dialogue between all stakeholders without exception, as a viable and inclusive, approach in the search for peace, security, stability and a democratic transition; calls on all stakeholders to place the supreme interest of Sudan above all else and commit to creating a conducive environment for the political transition process; and urges all the parties, including neighboring countries, RECs/RMs and the international community to support the national efforts of Sudan;

  4. Urges all the Sudanese stakeholders to commit to a cessation of acts of violence, while appealing to the Sudanese authorities to respect the right of peaceful assembly and end arbitrary arrests, and reiterates its call to the authorities to release all political detainees to demonstrate goodwill in support of the intra-Sudanese consultations and transparent political transition;

  5. Encourages the authorities to consider the adverse socio-economic effects of the crisis on the lives of ordinary Sudanese and thus, demonstrate genuine commitment to support the peace process to alleviate the sufferings of ordinary Sudanese, and appeals to the Sudanese authorities to consider a full lifting of the state of emergency to demonstrate the country's readiness to return to normalcy;

  6. Urges AU Member States and partners to continue to provide the necessary support to the peace process in Sudan in a coordinated manner, including through the ongoing tripartite plan;

Chad

  1. Condemns the atrocities and acts of aggression against peaceful demonstrators and urges all stakeholders to exercise restraint and refrain from any action that could place civilians in harm's way; takes note of the Transition Authorities' response condemning the aggression and effecting changes in some departments, especially the security services, and welcomes the official tour of the President of the Transition Military Council to the hinterlands;

  2. Urges the Transition Authorities to redouble their efforts to ensure an inclusive and transparent process by engaging with all political and social stakeholders on the main components of the transition, especially in the National Dialogue, implementation of recommendations, referendum process for a new constitution and free, transparent and credible elections;

  3. Appeals to the Transition Authorities to sustain engagements with all sectors of society in formulating the various components ofthe inclusive National Dialogue, including criteria for participation, agenda and duration, to build confidence and trust in the process and promote Chadian ownership;

  4. Encourages all political and social stakeholders to engage in good faith in preparations towards the National Dialogue, to put the supreme interest of Chad above all other considerations, and to refrain from any action likely to disturb the political, security and social climate in the pre-dialogue period or to hinder preparations towards the Inclusive National Dialogue and its conduct;

  5. Emphasizes the need for the AU Commission to continue providing financial and technical support to Chad within approved available budget resources, particularly in the dialogue process to facilitate interactions, break the deadlock in negotiations and guarantee agreements to be reached;

  6. Welcomes the holding of peace talks, between the armed groups held in Doha, Qatar, ahead ofthe planned inclusive National Dialogue;

Mali

  1. Takes note of the ongoing mediation efforts of the ECOWAS Special Envoy and Mediator to Mali, H.E Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and his engagement with the Transition Authorities on a feasible duration of the Transition; and in this regard, urges the Transition Authorities, in close collaboration with ECOWAS, to work towards a possible agreement on the Transition Roadmap, including the electoral calendar, to pave the way to a swift return to constitutional order;

  2. Notes with satisfaction the inter-Malian dialogue initiative to promote consensus on the reforms to be undertaken and build the confidence of stakeholders in the upcoming electoral process, including the immediate resumption of dialogue through the established mechanisms between the signatories of the 2015 Peace and Reconciliation Agreement for Mali which emanated from the Algiers process;

  3. Expresses deep concern over the incident which occurred in Moura, central Mali, which reportedly resulted in 300 deaths; calls for a full and independent investigation into the barbaric atrocities, and in this regard urges the Transition Authorities to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice;

  4. Underlines the need to comply with the Instruments of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, including the absolute protection of civilians by security and military arrangements in Mali and the broader Sahel region;

Guinea

  1. Reiterates its call to the Transition Authorities to guarantee former President Alpha Conde his full liberties;

  2. Calls for the operationalization of the Monitoring Mechanism on the Transition in Guinea, comprising the AU, ECOWAS, UN and all other relevant stakeholders, pursuant to Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.(1030(2021))] adopted on 10 September 2021, as a comprehensive framework for coordinated support and follow-up of the transition in Guinea;

  3. Encourages the Transition Authorities to expedite the establishment of a transition timetable with clearly defined timelines and priority actions of the government in accordance with the deadline provided by the ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit held on 25 March 2022;

  4. Emphasises the importance of an inclusive political process wholly representing the strata ofthe society in Guinea and, in this regard, calls on the Transition Authorities to sustain consultations with various stakeholders, including political actors and civil society, on the challenges facing the country to build confidence and strengthen the inclusiveness of the transition process;

Burkina Faso

  1. Welcomes ofthe partial release of Former President Roch Marc Christian Kabore from detention as indicated in the Government Communique and reiterates its call demanding the immediate and unconditional release from house arrest of the former President, with guarantees of his personal health, safety and respect to his liberties;

  2. Also takes note of the adoption of the Transitional Charter on 1 March 2022, the inauguration of the Head of Transition on 2 March 2022 and the appointment of a civilian Prime Minister on 3 March 2022, as well as the formation of theTransitional Government and the appointment of the Transitional Legislative Assembly;

  3. Welcomes the agreement between the Transition Authorities and ECOWAS on the appointment of the latter's Special Envoy and Mediator to Burkina Faso;

  4. Encourages the Transition Authorities to deepen consultations with ECOWAS in order to reach an agreement on the duration ofthe political transition;

  5. In this context, requests the AU Commission to undertake the following:

  1. Ensure that the operational AU Liaison Offices (AULOs) and the Office ofthe AU Special Representatives are adequately resourced for them to discharge their respective mandates effectively;

  2. Mobilize the requisite resources, including technical, financial and logistics, to accompany all the Member States in political transition and their individual efforts towards returning to constitutional order;

  3. In consultation with the Transition Authorities in Mali, organize the third meeting of the Mali Transition Support Group, pursuant to Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.1027(2021)] adopted on 2 September 2021 to mobilize partners to support the political transition;

  4. Continue to closely monitor the situation and ongoing efforts in all the countries undergoing political transitions through the Special Representatives and the AULOs and working in close coordination with the relevant REC/RM, and report to Council regularly;

  5. Establish, as part of the early warning system, a monitoring dashboard of the aforementioned situations, based on an exhaustive diagnosis reflecting the political, social and economic reality on the ground, that will allow the adoption of an operational approach oriented towards action;

  6. Expeditiously facilitate the organisation of a Needs Assessment Mission to Guinea in order to consult with the Transition Authorities and ascertain possible approaches of support to the Transition process under the auspices of the Monitoring Mechanism on Transition in Guinea (MMTG), in accordance with the decisions adopted through Communique [PSC/PR/COMM.1064(2022)] on 10 February 2022;

  7. Timely establish a Transition Support Group in Burkina Faso (TSG-BF), in collaboration with ECOWAS and the UN, to rapidly mobilise the necessary partners and resources, particularly to address security, development and humanitarian challenges;

  8. Facilitate the expected engagement of the Panel of the Wise as the AU conflict prevention mechanism with the transition authorities to enhance mediation, reconciliation and dialogue; and highlight in this regard, the need to use all available mechanisms, including the African Youth Peace Ambassadors in the promotion of peace in the affected Member States;

  9. The AU Commission to undertake specific efforts to implement the outcome of the Accra Declaration in order to swiftly deter the resurgence of unconstitutional changes of government in Africa;

  1. Appeals to all AU Member States, UN and all other partners to further provide support, including through mobilization of financial, technical and humanitarian assistance to all the countries in political transition for them to address the security, socio-economic and humanitarian challenges and ensure stability in their respective regions and the broader Continent; and

  2. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.

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