CM/Res. 641 (XXXI)
RESOLUTION ON MILITARY INTERVENTIONS IN AFRICA AND ON MEASURES TO BE TAKEN AGAINST NEO -COLONIALIST MANOEUVRES AND INTERVENTIONS IN AFRICA
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, meeting in its Thirty-First Ordinary Session in Khartoum, Democratic Republic of the Sudan, from 7 to 18 July 1978,
Bearing in mind the principles and objectives of the OAU Charter and recalling the solemn commitment of all Member States to work towards the complete eradication of colonialism and for the promotion of a genuine inter-African co-operation,
Having considered all the aspects of the grave situation created throughout the Continent by various non-African forces to impede the process of decolonization and undermine the independence and sovereignty of African States,
Seriously concerned with the policy of interference, aggression, intervention and the encouragement of expansionism of external forces of domination and exploitation against the States and peoples of Africa especially since the collapse of the Portugese colonial empire,
Seriously alarmed by intrusion of the number of foreign powers in various parts of the continent and their relentless efforts to create or perpetuate conflicts and artificial divisions and so disunity so as to check the momentum of solidarity and the African people’s desire for unity;
Expressing its profound concern in the face of the dangers that proliferation of acts of interference in the affairs of the Continent pose to the very existence of the Organization of African Unity, and conscious of the necessity to prevent these acts of interference as well as any attempt to impose on Africa solutions of African problems from outside,
Noting with indignation that despite the unanimous censure by the international community, the imperialist powers persist in the use of mercenaries against independent African States in a bid to impose upon them regimes loyal to them,
Considering that the policy of non-alignment is one of the fundamental options of the Organization since its creation and a basic condition for the building and security of an independent, united and fraternal Africa;
STRONGLY DENOUNCES the policy of force, interference from any source whatsoever against Africa to recolonize the continent;
CONDEMNS all initiatives and actions which contravene the principles and objectives of the Organization and encourage attempts at dominating and dividing Africa;
DECLARES that peace and security of African States are contingent upon strict adherence to the principles of peoples’ right to self -determination and independence and of non-interference, territorial integrity, inviolability of frontiers, non-recourse to the use of force and non0recognition of territorial acquisition by use of force and that differences should be settled by peaceful means and within an African context;
DRAWS Member States’ attention to the dangers to the peace and security of the whole continent by pacts that encourage interference and military invention and hamper the liberation process of peoples;
SOLENMLY DECLARES that, in all cases, the security of Africa is the concern of Africans only and that no power or group of powers outside Africa is to interfere in this respect.
REITERATES its firm condemnation of the tendency of certain non-African powers to use mercenaries against the security, independence and sovereignty of African States and to establish their domination and maintain a climate of tension and conflict in the continent;
REAFFIRMS its will to work towards the elimination of foreign military bases and to oppose all power blocks and divisionist policies.