DECISION ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL OF
THE AFRICAN UNION AND THE STATE OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA
The Assembly:
TAKES NOTE of the Report on the activities of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the state of peace and security in Africa;
WELCOMES the efforts deployed to promote peace, security stability in Africa, as well as the progress made in this regard. The Assembly ENCOURAGES all the parties concerned to redouble their efforts to consolidate the gains realized thus far, and REQUESTS the Commission to continue to support the ongoing processes and mobilize the international community assistance in this respect;
EXPRESSES ITS SATISFACTION with the ongoing efforts to consolidate peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including the signing by the concerned parties of an Act of Commitment aimed at restoring peace and stability in Eastern DRC and speeding up the national reconciliation process, following the Conference on Peace, Security and Development on the North and South Kivu Provinces, held in Goma, from 6 to 23 January 2008, and URGES the parties to scrupulously honour their commitments, including those pertaining to disarmament of armed groups operating in the East of DRC;
NOTES WITH SATISFACTION the encouraging developments in Cote d’Ivoire, since the signing of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and the progress made in its implementation, and CALLS UPON the parties to redouble their efforts so as to speed up the implementation of the Agreements that have been signed, in order to pave the way for the holding of presidential elections not later than the first half of 2008;
WELCOMES the resolution of the institutional crisis in Burundi with the establishment of a Government in line with the Constitution, following the political dialogue initiated by the President of the Republic with the political opposition parties in August 2007. At the same time, the Assembly EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN over the lengthy delays and difficulties faced in the implementation of the Comprehensive Ceasefire Agreement of 7 September 2006. The Assembly ENCOURAGES the Mediator to pursue his efforts and REQUESTS the Regional Initiative to remain actively seized of the peace process in Burundi;
WELCOMES the progress made regarding post-conflit reconstruction in Liberia and REQUESTS the Member States, the United Nations and bilateral and multilateral partners to continue to extend all the necessary support;
TAKES NOTE of the efforts deployed to re-launch the peace process in Darfur, particularly the opening of the Sirte peace talks on 27 October 2007. The Assembly REAFFIRMS its support to the joint efforts being exerted by the AU and the United Nations, especially through their respective Special Envoys, with a view to commencing substantive discussions on the pending issues, and URGES all the parties concerned to provide the necessary cooperation;
WELCOMES the launching of the African Union/United Nations hybrid operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and the transfer of authority which took place on 31 December 2007, ENCOURAGES the AU Commission and the UN Secretariat to pursue their efforts towards the early deployment of UNAMID, FURTHER ENCOURAGES the Government of the Sudan to continue to cooperate with the AU and the United Nations towards the early completion of the deployment of the Mission and the smooth conduct of its operations, and REQUESTS the AU, the UN and the Government of Sudan to continue to cooperate closely in order to create conditions conducive for the successful execution of UNAMID mandate. The Conference COMMENDS the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS) and its personnel for the remarkable work accomplished in Darfur despite the numerous difficulties the Mission had to grapple with;
WELCOMES the measures taken by the parties to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) in the Sudan to overcome the difficulties encountered in its implementation and URGES them to pursue their efforts to ensure the full implementation of the Agreement in letter and spirit;
EXPRESSES ITS SERIOUS CONCERN at the lack of progress in resolving the crisis in the Comorian Island of Anjouan, particularly the restoration of the Union Government authority in Anjouan. The Assembly FULLY SUPPORTS the efforts deployed by the AU in pursuance of the pertinent decisions of the PSC with a view to restoring State authority in Anjouan and put a definite end to the crisis arising from the attitude of the illegal authorities of Anjouan;
EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN over the persistent tension between the Sudan and Chad, CALLS ON the two Governments to exercise restraint and do everything possible to defuse the current tension and contribute to the restoration of normalcy along their common border and WELCOMES the efforts being deployed by Libya to assist the two countries;
NOTES WITH SATISFACTION the on-going efforts aimed at consolidating peace and reconciliation in the Central African Republic (CAR), including the holding of an inclusive political dialogue, and ENCOURAGES all the parties concerned to participate in the dialogue in a constructive spirit. The Assembly UNDERSCORES the work accomplished by the Multinational Force of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) and TAKES NOTE of the decision of the Summit of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), held in Brazzaville on 30 October 2007, to transfer the CEMAC Multinational Force (FOMUC) from CEMAC to ECCAS;
REITERATES ITS DEEP CONCERN at the continued impasse in the Ethiopia Eritrea peace process and at its implications for peace, security and stability in the region at large, EMPHASIZES the need for more sustained and coordinated efforts to help the parties overcome the current impasse in the peace process, including the demarcation of their common border, and normalize their relations, and EXPRESSES THE READINESS of the African Union to assist Eritrea and Ethiopia in this endeavour;
EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN at the post-electoral violence and tension in Kenya and at its social, humanitarian and economic consequences, as well as at its implications for peace and stability in Kenya and the region as a whole ONCE AGAIN CALLS ON all the parties to exercise restraint, refrain from acts of violence and from any other act that could further complicate the situation, as well as prevail on their supporters to put an immediate end to the violence, and speedily resolve the crisis and the electoral dispute within the established legal framework;
WELCOMES the efforts made by the current Chair of the AU, John Kufuor, the Chair of the East African Community (EAC), Yoweri Museveni, and by other leaders and organisations both within and outside the region, to assist in resolving the crisis in Kenya. The Assembly REQUESTS the Kenyan parties to extend full cooperation to the mediation efforts being conducted by the group of eminent African elders led by former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan;
REQUESTS the PSC to pursue its efforts aimed at promoting peace, security and stability in the continent, with special attention to conflict prevention, and, whenever necessary, to be involved in all situations likely to pose a threat to peace and security in the continent;
RECALLS decision Assembly/AU/Dec. 145 (VIII) adopted by the Assembly at its 8th ordinary session held in January 2007, calling upon the United Nations to examine, within the context of Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, the possibility of funding, through assessed contributions, peacekeeping operations undertaken by the AU or under its authority, with the consent of the United Nations, and WELCOMES the steps taken by the AU Commission and Member States in pursuance of this decision;
LOOKS FORWARD to the report that will be submitted by the United Nations Secretary-General on the relationship between the United Nations and regional organisations, in particular the African Union, in the maintenance of international peace and security, as provided for by Security Council Presidential Statement of 28 March 2007. The Assembly WELCOMES the offer by South Africa to avail its presidency of the United Nations Security Council, in April 2008, to discuss the report of the United Nations Secretary- General, and REQUESTS the Security Council to consider this report with the view to achieving concrete results in further strengthen cooperation between the AU and the UN. In this regard, the Assembly REQUESTS the United Nations Security Council to collaborate with, and invite, the AU PSC during the consideration of this report;
TAKES NOTE of the report of the international workshop on security sector reform (SSR) in Cape Town, South Africa, on 7 - 8 November 2007, and ENCOURAGES the Commission to develop a comprehensive AU Policy Framework on SSR, within the context of the Policy Framework on Postconflict Reconstruction and Development adopted by the Executive Council in Banjul, in June 2006.