DECISION ON THE REPORT OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL ON ITS
ACTIVITIES AND THE STATE OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA
Doc. Assembly/AU/4(XXIX)
The Assembly,
TAKES NOTE of the Report of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) on its activities and the state of peace and security in Africa;
COMMENDS the PSC, the Commission and the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RECs/RMs) for their commitment and efforts towards peace, security and stability in Africa; in this regard, TAKES NOTE WITH APPRECIATION of the intensive efforts deployed by the Chairperson of the Commission in support of peace processes within the continent;
CONGRATULATES President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on his election as President of the Federal Republic of Somalia; WELCOMES the continued progress made in Somalia while recognizing the challenges still facing the country; REITERATES ITS APPEAL to AU Member States and the wider international community to pursue and intensify their political, financial and logistical support for Somalia and the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to enable the full stabilization of the country, in particular for the security reform that will enable the operationalization of the National Security Architecture; RECALLS the PSC communique of 6 September 2016, calling on the UN Security Council to consider, following its resolution 2244 (2015), lifting the arms embargo imposed on Somalia, as a critical aspect of building Somali security institutions; EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN at the threat that Al-Shabaab continues to pose to peace, security and stability in Somalia, and, ONCE AGAIN STRONGLY CONDEMNS the terrorist attacks by Al-Shabaab on innocent civilians, AMISOM and Somali forces; FURTHER EXPRESSES CONCERN at the resurgence of piracy activities off the coast of Somalia; CALLS ON the AU and international partners to coordinate their support through the implementation mechanism of the Security Pact, as agreed at the London Conference held on 11 May 2017, with a view to optimizing the impact of joint efforts in support of the Somali National Security Forces; to this effect, WELCOMES the establishment of the AU-Somalia Joint Task Force as the best channel to harmonize support by partners; EXPRESSES ITS DEEP CONCERN at the dire humanitarian situation prevailing in Somalia and APPEALS to the international community for increased support in addressing the assistance needed by the affected Somali people;
EXPRESSES ITS DEEP CONCERN at the continued deterioration of the situation in South Sudan and ONCE AGAIN, CALLS UPON South Sudanese parties to demonstrate leadership and uphold their responsibility towards ending the long suffering of their own people; WELCOMES the launching of the National Dialogue initiative by President Salva Kiir Mayardit and URGES the South
Sudanese stakeholders to ensure its inclusivity, independence and impartiality; COMMENDS the AU High Representative for South Sudan, former President Alpha Oumar Konare, for his efforts to assist the South Sudanese stakeholders to address their challenges through constructive engagement, as agreed by the AU, the UN and IGAD at the meeting of 29 January 2017, and UNDERSCORES the need for continued formal engagement by the three institutions; ENDORSES the decisions of the 31st IGAD Extraordinary Summit held on 12 June 2017, in particular the urgent convening of the High Level Revitalisation Forum of the Peace Agreement; in this regard, COMMENDS the efforts of President Yoweri Museveni and the Government of Uganda to address the challenges in South Sudan; CALLS UPON the government forces and armed groups to lay down their arms and engage in a constructive political process to address the root causes of the challenges facing South Sudan; EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN over the humanitarian situation in South Sudan and URGES the international community to provide the necessary assistance to the needy people in South Sudan and the neighbouring countries; in this regard, CALLS ON the Transitional Government of National Unity, the SPLM-IO and all armed groups to observe strictly International Humanitarian Law with regard to humanitarian agencies and workers, with a view to creating or facilitating access and delivery of the humanitarian assistance to the population in need;
WELCOMES the significant improvements noted in the political and security situation in Darfur, as well as the outcome of the National Dialogue and the formation of a new Government of National Unity, and URGES the Sudanese authorities to continue their outreach efforts; TAKES NOTE of the recommendations of the AU-UN Joint Strategic Review Report on the withdrawal and reconfiguration of the UNAMID forces and STRESSES that the process should be carried out in a gradual and smooth manner, to ensure that the civilian population is not exposed to danger; UNDERLINES the need for the international community to extend the necessary support to the Government of Sudan in its efforts towards post-conflict reconstruction in Darfur, in particular in the areas to be vacated by UNAMID; in particular, TAKES NOTE of the steps already taken by the United Sates to ease the sanctions regime imposed to Sudan, and LOOKS FORWARD for their complete lifting by the 12 July 2017 review; furthermore, COMMENDS the AU High-Level Implementation Panel for its relentless efforts to assist the Sudanese to reach peaceful solutions to their various challenges, and ENCOURAGES it to continue to foster an inclusive process to help the next stages of the peace process; STRONGLY URGES all armed movements to engage, in the negotiations process without further delay,;
COMMENDS the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan for reaching agreements on the operationalization of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM); in this regard, CALLS for the urgent convening, without pre-conditions, of the postponed meeting of the Joint Security Committee (JSC), in order to address the outstanding issues between the two countries and URGES Sudan and South Sudan to hold more regular meetings of the Joint Political and Security Mechanism, to address outstanding matters between the two countries, especially as these relate to the establishment of the JBVMM;
CALLS FOR the urgent implementation of the 20 June 2011 Agreement on the Administration and Security of Abyei Area, especially the establishment of the Council, Administration and Police Service; PAYS TRIBUTE to the United Nations Interim Security Force (UNISFA) for Abyei for its contribution to the maintenance of peace and security in the Abyei area;
TAKES NOTE of the withdrawal of the Troops of the State of Qatar from the border between Djibouti and Eritrea; and CALLS ON Djibouti and Eritrea to exercise restraint in their border dispute; ENCOURAGES the Chairperson of the Commission, with the necessary support of the two countries, to pursue his efforts towards a peaceful solution to the dispute and the normalization of relations and good neighbourhood between Djibouti and Eritrea;
EXPRESSES ONCE MORE ITS CONCERN at the continuing political impasse and the security situation in Libya; URGES the Libyan parties to overcome their current political differences, with a view to readjusting consensually the Libya Political Agreement, in order to enable its early implementation in a way that will create conditions conducive to an all- inclusive dialogue for sustainable peace and reconciliation in Libya; COMMENDS the AU High-Level Committee for Libya, chaired by H.E. Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo, which held its third meeting on 2 July 2017, in the margins of the current Ordinary session, and WELCOMES the visit to Libya by an AU Ministerial delegation, including the Commissioner for Peace and Security; ALSO COMMENDS the efforts by neighbouring countries, as well as by the AU High Representative for Libya, former President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, and the United Nations, for their continuing engagement in the search for a lasting solution to the Libyan crisis;
APPEALS to all Congolese actors to work for the preservation of the still fragile gains in the path of peace and stability in the DRC, in particular the effective and consensual implementation of the 31 December 2016 Agreement, with a view to organising elections, in December 2017in this regard, WELCOMES the initiatives taken thus far by the Chairperson of the Commission, including the dispatching, from 29 to 30 May, in Kinshasa, of a mission led by Commissioner for Peace and Security and comprising the representatives of the United Nations, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Southern African Development Community(SADC), guarantor institutions of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Region, signed on 24 February 2013, in Addis Ababa; COMMENDS the DRC for its decision to ensure the financing of the electoral process through Government budget and to avail to the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) the necessary resources for the conduct of the electoral process and the organisation of elections; CALLS FOR the urgent appointment of the Chairman and Members of the National Follow up Council of the Agreement (CNSA), in order to establish the electoral calendar of the elections; EXPRESSES ITS DEEP CONCERN at the prevailing security and humanitarian situation in the Kasai province; STRESSES THE NEED to take all necessary steps to reenergize the cooperation and stabilisation process in the DRC and the region, in conformity with the Framework Agreement; CALLS UPON the United Nations, the troop-contributing countries to United Nations stabilisation Mission in Congo (MONUSCO), the Guarantors of the Framework Agreement and the Member countries of the ICGLR and SADC to provide all the necessary support to this end;
REAFFIRMS its commitment to the peaceful resolution of the crisis in Burundi through the rapid launching of an inclusive inter-Burundian dialogue, under the aegis of the East African Community (EAC), with the support of the AU, under the leadership of the EAC Mediator, President Yoweri K. Museveni of Uganda and his Facilitator, former President Benjamin Mkapa of Tanzania and REQUESTS all Burundians to participate actively and unconditionally in this process; CALLS UPON the Burundian authorities to take all necessary steps to build the widest consensus possible on the ongoing process of revising the Constitution, with the participation of all Burundians and on the basis of the Arusha Agreement of 2000; in this regard, REAFFIRMS the readiness of the AU High Level Delegation of Heads of State to assist in efforts aimed at finding a lasting solution to the crisis in Burundi; CALLS FOR the rapid signing of the Memorandum of Understanding relating to the activities of the Human Rights Observers and the Military Experts of the AU;
EXPRESSES ITS DEEP CONCERN at the deteriorating security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) and STRONGLY CONDEMNS the attacks against civilians and the troops of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Mission for Stabilization in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), as well as the destabilising activities of the armed groups, and DEMANDS that they commit themselves resolutely to the DDR programmes and the pacification process in the country REAFFIRMS its full support to the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR and CALLS ON all Central African stakeholders, the UN and other partners to support this process.; WELCOMES the signing in Rome, on 19 June 2017, under the facilitation of the Sant’ Egidio community, of the agreement between armed groups, including a country wide ceasefire; URGES Member States and partners to pursue and increase their assistance to the CAR and to contribute to stabilisation, post-conflict reconstruction and development efforts in the country;
CALLS ON all political actors in Guinea Bissau to respect and implement the Conakry Agreement of October 2016 without any further delay, and URGES all actors to refrain from actions or statements that could escalate tension and incite violence; COMMENDS the Economic Community of West African States
(ECOWAS) for its continued efforts towards sustained peace and stability in Guinea Bissau;
ENCOURAGES all Liberian stakeholders to continue to work together to consolidate peace in their country, in particular through creating conditions conducive to the holding of peaceful, free and transparent elections, with the support of the region, through ECOWAS, and the international community as a whole;
STRONGLY CONDEMNS the mutiny in Cote D’Ivoire and REAFFIRMS the imperative for the defence and security forces to remain strictly subordinated to the civilian authorities; REITERATES its support to the Government of Cote d’Ivoire for its efforts aimed at consolidating reconciliation, which will enable the strengthening of peace and stability in the country, with a view to maintaining high economic growth for the benefit of the Ivorian people;
COMMENDS the new authorities in the Gambia and ECOWAS for their joint efforts to promote lasting peace, stability and socio-economic recovery in the country and ENCOURAGES them to continue on this path; REAFFIRMS theAU’s full support to the post-crisis stabilization, reconstruction and development process in the Gambia and INVITES those Member States, with means to second experts in SSR, justice and development, in line with the decision of the 694th meeting of the PSC; COMMENDS the Chairperson of the Commission for the dispatching of a High-Level Needs Assessment Mission in the Gambia;
URGES once again all the Malian parties to redouble their efforts to overcome the challenges facing the implementation of the Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Mali, which is the only framework that can make it possible to achieve lasting peace and reconciliation in Mali in this regard, WELCOMES the progress made during the period, especially the establishment of the Interim Authorities and the convening of the National Accord Conference; REAFFIRMS its firm condemnation of the despicable terrorist attacks against the civilian populations, the Malian and international forces of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Mission for Stabilization in Mali (MINSUMA) and the Operation Barkhane; WELCOMES the timely initiative of the G5 Sahel, namely Burkina Faso, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad, which led to the establishment of the G5 Sahel Joint Force; FURTHER WELCOMES the adoption by the United Nations Security Council of Resolution 2359 (2017) on the deployment of the G5 Joint Force and EXPRESSES its appreciation to the European Union (EU) for the financial support to the initiative of the G5 Sahel; REQUESTS the Commission to organise, as soon as possible, a meeting of the member countries of the Nouakchott Process to discuss their support to the G5 Sahel initiative, within the framework of the AU Strategy for the Sahel Region;
STRESSES that terrorism continues to be one of the greatest threats to peace, security, stability and development in the AU Member States and in the Regions
and NOTES that terrorist groups affiliated to Al- Qaeda and to the so-called Islamic State (IS), continued to be active in Somalia, in Libya, in the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel region; REAFFIRMS its conviction that success in the fight against terrorism, radicalization and violent extremism and transnational organised crime, is only possible with cooperation, solidarity and collective action; in this regard, STRESSES the need for Member States to implement the relevant African and international counter-terrorism instruments and to draw on existing cooperation frameworks, particularly the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), the Committee on Intelligence and Security Services in Africa (CISSA) and the African Union Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL); STRESSES the importance of the Nouakchott and Djibouti Processes, which should be reinforced in order to fully play their role in efforts aimed at enhancing cooperation and coordination in the fight against terrorism;
CONGRATULATES the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) of the Member States of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), namely Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, plus the Republic of Benin, for the significant progress made in the fight against the terrorist group of Boko Haram and ENCOURAGES them to pursue their efforts, with the support of the AU and the international community; EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN about the humanitarian situation in the North East of Nigeria, resulting from the security situation and CALLS ON the international community to provide the necessary assistance, commensurate to the needs of the affected people in the area; furthermore, NOTES WITH APPRECIATION that, thanks to the efforts of the Regional Cooperation Initiative for the Elimination of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA-RCI), particularly its military component, the Regional Task Force (RTF), the LRA is no longer a direct military threat to the States of the region in this respect, COMMENDS the countries of the region for their invaluable contribution to this effort and STRESSES the need to do everything possible to ensure that the withdrawal of the Ugandan and US forces compromise the gains made; CALLS ON the Member countries of the RCI-LRA to continue their action against the LRA, with the support of the AU Member States, UN and Partners;
RECOGNIZES the progress made in the operationalization and implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), in synergy with the African Governance Architecture (AGA); ENCOURAGES the RECs/RMs and the AU Commission, with the support of the United Nations, the EU and other partners, and the participation of civil society, to pursue the efforts towards ensuring the full functioning of all APSA components, under the guidance of Peace and Security Council; TAKES NOTE of the steps taken with regard to the African Standby Force, in particular the review of its doctrine and the upcoming verification of pledges made by the regions; LOOKS FORWARD to the early inauguration of the Continental Logistic Base in Douala, Cameroon; ALSO TAKES NOTE of the activities conducted in the context of the African Capacity for the Immediate Response to Crisis (ACIRC), in particular with regard to the status of readiness in line with the Luanda Declaration of December 2016;
CALLS ON the RECs/ RMs and Member States to prioritize implementation of the Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy (PCRD) and to recommit themselves to the African Solidarity Initiative, placing it as a priority in the spirit of African solidarity; EXPRESSES ITS APPRECIATION to AU partners and CALLS ON them to pursue and intensify their support to AU’s PCRD activities;
REAFFIRMS the imperative need for Africa, within the framework of APSA, to encourage and strengthen its action in crisis and conflict prevention in this regard, URGES the Peace and Security Council, the Panel of the Wise and the Commission, in relation with Member States and RECs/RMs, in close cooperation with the UN and other relevant actors, to redouble efforts for conflict prevention, in particular with regard to conflict and violence related to elections in the continent, in line with the relevant provisions of the Protocol relating to the establishment of Peace and Security Council and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance;
TAKES NOTE with satisfaction the steps taken towards the implementation of its decisions on the AU Peace Fund; ENDORSES the communique of the 689th meeting of the PSC, in particular the governance structures and eligibility criteria of the Peace Fund, taking into consideration representation of AU Member States in the governing structures of the Peace Fund, based on regional representation, and the modalities to implement it, in addition to the operating costs of the Fund; FURTHER ENDORSESthe scope of operations to be submitted, on a case by case basis, for authorization by the UN Security Council and subsequent financing through UN assessed contributions; THANKS those Member States that have already paid their annual contribution to the Peace Fund and URGES those who have not yet done so as to expedite the payment of their contributions as soon as possible; PAYS TRIBUTE to the High Representative for the Peace Fund and the Financing of the Union, Dr. Donald Kaberuka, for his relentless efforts towards the implementation of the AU Peace Fund;
WELCOMES the signing, on 19 April 2017, of the AU-UN Framework on Enhanced Partnership in Peace and Security, and ENCOURAGES the Chairperson of the Commission, including through his High Representative for the Peace Fund and the Financing of the Union, Dr. Donald Kaberuka, to continue engaging the UN towards greater support to AU’s peace efforts, in line with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter in this regard, REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to take forward the political engagement to secure, in the course of 2017, a substantive UN Security Council Resolution on the use of assessed contributions to support AU mandated or authorized missions in 2017;
WELCOMES the commitment of the A3 Group, namely Egypt, Ethiopia and Senegal to continue to promote and defend African common interests and positions on peace and security issues within the UN Security Council, in line with the conclusions of the High Level Seminars on Peace and Security held in Oran, Algeria; COMMENDS Egypt and Ethiopia for providing updates to the PSC on the activities of the A3 since January 2017; CONGRATULATES Cote D’Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea for their election as African Members of the UN Security Council for the period 2018/2019 and LOOKS FORWARD to their contributions towards fostering AU’s common interest and concerns in the UN Security Council, in line with the AU Assembly decision of January 2016;
ENDORSES the Conclusions of the Retreat of the Peace and Security Council on the Implementation of the Conclusions of Successive PSC Retreats and the Related Adoptive Decisions from 2007 to 2016, held from 3 to 5 May 2017, in Kigali, Rwanda.