Communique: The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 265th meeting, held on 10 March 2011, at the level of Heads of State and Government, adopted the following decision on the situation in Côte d’Ivoire Ref:PSC/AHG/COMM.1(CCLXV)

JUHI

P.O. Box: 3243, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tel.:(251-ll) 551 38 22 Fax: (251-11) SSI 93 21

Email: situationroom@africa-union.org

PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 265™ MEETING

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

10 MARCH 2011

PSC/AHG/COMM.1(CCLXV)

COMMUNIQUE

wWv/.makep«*ee*iapfwn.n*t

COMMUNIQUE OF THE 265^th MEETING OF THE
PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 265^th meeting, held on 10 March 2011, at the level of Heads of State and Government, adopted the following decision on the situation in Cote d'Ivoire:

Council,

1. Takes note of the report of the High-Level Panel for the Resolution of the Crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, established pursuant to paragraph 6 of communique PSC/AHG/Comm(CCLIX) adopted at its 259^th meeting held on 28 January 2011 [Document PSC/AHG/2 (CCLXV)]. Council also takes note of the statements made by President Alassane Dramane Ouattara and by the representative of His Excellency Laurent Gbagbo;

2. Reaffirms all its previous decisions on the post-electoral crisis facing Cote d'Ivoire since the second round of the presidential election, on 28 November 2010, recognizing the election of Mr. Alassane Dramane Ouattara as the President of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire;

3. Commends the High-Level Panel for its commitment and the sustained efforts it has made in search for a peaceful resolution of the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire. In this regard, Council pays tribute to Presidents Mohamed Quid Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, Jacob Zuma of South Africa, Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and Idriss Deby Itno of Chad, as well as to the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr. Jean Ping, and the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mr. James Victor Gbeho, for their contribution to the search for a solution to the current crisis in Cote d'Ivoire. Council also commends all those who have extended cooperation to the High- Level Panel in the discharge of its mandate. Council expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for the support extended to the Panel, through his Special Representative for West Africa, Said Djinnit;

4. Expresses its grave concern at the rapidly deteriorating security and humanitarian situation since the announcement of the results of the second round of the presidential election. Council notes that, in the absence of a speedy solution to the crisis, Cote d'Ivoire is likely to sink into widespread violence, with incalculable consequences for the country, as well as for the region and the continent as a whole;

5. Reiterates its firm condemnation of all atrocities and other violations of human rights, threats and acts of intimidation, as well as acts of obstruction directed at the operations of the United Nations Operation in Cote d'Ivoire (UNOCI ), and deeply regrets the loss of life and destruction of property that occurred in parts of Cote d'Ivoire;

6. Reaffirms its conviction that the post-electoral crisis in Cote d'Ivoire requires an overall political solution that preserves democracy and peace, and promotes lasting reconciliation among all Ivorians;

7. Endorses the recommendations of the High-Level Panel as contained in its report, as well as the proposals made for an overall political solution to the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire, which offer a viable basis for a way out of the crisis that reconciles respect for democracy and the quest for peace. In this regard, Council recalls the provisions of paragraph 6 (c) of the communique of its 259^th meeting stating that the Panel's conclusions, as endorsed by Council, will be binding on all Ivorian parties;

8. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission to appoint a High Representative for the implementation of the overall political solution, as endorsed by Council, and to complete the process for a way out of the crisis as follows:

1. convening, under the auspices of the AU and ECOWAS, within the next two weeks, of negotiations between the Ivorian parties to develop modalities for the implementation of the proposals submitted by the High-Level Panel as endorsed by Council, with all the necessary guarantees for all concerned actors, in particular for the outgoing President, H.E. Laurent Gbagbo,

2. mobilization of the support of AU partners for the early conclusion of the Agreement for a way out of the crisis, and

3. submission, to a meeting of Council, of a comprehensive report on the results of its efforts;

9. Calls upon the Ivorian parties to extend full cooperation for the effective implementation, within the agreed timeframe, of the Panel's proposals, and to refrain from any action likely to complicate the situation and the process for a way out of the crisis;

10. Underlines its determination to take, in light of the results of the negotiations referred to in paragraph 8 (i) hereof, and on the basis of the relevant instruments of the AU, all measures that the situation would require;

11. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission to transmit this decision to the United Nations Security Council, ECOWAS and other AU partners;

12. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.