Communiqué :The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 246th meeting held in Addis Ababa, on 28 October 2010, adopted the following decision on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire. Ref:PSC/PR/Comm.1(CCXLVI)

AFRICAN UNION

UNIAO AFRICANA

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PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 246^th MEETING

28 OCTOBER 2010

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

PSC/PR/Comm.l(CCXLVI)

COMMUNIQUE OF THE 246^th MEETING OF THE
PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL

The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 246^th meeting held in Addis Ababa, on 28 October 2010, adopted the following decision on the situation in Cote d’Ivoire.

Council:

1. Takes note of the Report of the Mission of Council undertaken to Cote d’Ivoire, led by Ambassador Ruben Maye Nzue Mangue, Chairperson of the PSC for September 2010 and Permanent Representative of Equatorial Guinea, from 27 September to 3 October 2010;

2. Recalls its previous decisions and press statements on the situation in Cote d’Ivoire;

3. Notes with satisfaction the significant progress accomplished in the implementation of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement and its Supplementary Agreements, in particular, the efforts deployed by the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, and all the Ivorian stakeholders, including the Independent Electoral Commission, towards the holding of the presidential election, severally postponed in the past, on 31 October 2010. In this regard, Council welcomes the consensual adoption of the final Electoral List and its certification by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, which paved the way for the production and distribution of national identity cards and voters’ cards. Council expresses its appreciation, once more, to President Blaise Compaore, Facilitator of the Direct Inter-Ivorian Dialogue, for his tireless efforts in the pursuit of peace and reconciliation in Cote d’Ivoire and to ECOWAS for its efforts towards resolving the crisis in Cote d’Ivoire;

4. Re-affirms its conviction that the holding of a peaceful, free, open and transparent presidential election on 31 October 2010, constitutes an important step in the crisis exit process and the resolution of outstanding issues in the Ouagadougou Political Agreement. Council urges the Ivorian stakeholders, including the candidates to the election, to scrupulously comply with the Code of Good Conduct, place the interest of the Ivorian people above any other consideration and abstain from any action likely to undermine the holding of the election in conditions of peace and security. In this regard, Council calls on the candidates to the presidential election to continue to comply with the provisions of the Ouagadougou Political Agreement;

5. Welcomes the steps taken by the Ivorian authorities, with the support of United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (ONUCI) and Force Licorne, to provide security for the electoral process and allow the Ivorians to express their choice at the election. Council encourages the Ivorian Government to ensure the effective functioning of the Integrated Command Centre charged with the task of providing security for the electoral process. Council further welcomes the decision of the UN Security Council authorizing the deployment of an additional 500 personnel to ONUCI, in support for the electoral process;

6. Calls on all the Ivorian stakeholders, including the Ivorian people, to make

every effort to ensure the success of the election, including through a massive participation in the election, and urges all parties to accept its outcome. Further calls on the candidates to the election to desist from any actions likely to undermine the electoral process and to refrain from claiming victory on a unilateral basis. In this regard, Council stresses that the Independent Electoral Commission is the only institution with the authority to announce the provisional results of the election;

7. Notes that the Chairperson of the Commission has taken all necessary measures for the deployment of an AU Election Observation Mission for the presidential election;

8. Expresses its gratitude to the international community for providing multi­form support to the crisis exit process in Cote d’Ivoire and urges it, at this critical phase of the process, to continue and increase its support;

9. Commends the contribution of non-governmental organisations to the electoral process and the search for peace and reconciliation in Cote d’Ivoire, and urges them to remain engaged;

10. Expresses its gratitude to the authorities, institutions and all the Ivorian stakeholders for their availability and cooperation with the mission of Council during its stay in Cote d’Ivoire;

11. Decides to remain seized of the matter.