Communiqué: 490th PSC communiqué on the developments in Burundi

AFRICAN UNION

P.O. Box: 3243, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tel.:(251-ll) 551 38 22 Fax: (251-11) 551 93 21 Em ai I: situ ati on room @ af ri ca-union-org

PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL 490™ MEETING

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA 5 MARCH 2015

PSC/PR/COMM.(CDXC)

COMMUNIQUE

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 490^th meeting held on 5 March 2015, adopted the following decision on the developments in Burundi:

Council,

1. Takes note of the statement made by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Burundi to the AU and the update provided by the Commission on the ongoing preparations towards the holding of the general elections, scheduled from 26 May to 24 August 2015;

2. Expresses its commitment to the respect of the sovereignty and independence of Burundi, in line with the Constitution of Burundi, the AU Constitutive Act and the United Nations Charter;

3. Recalls the relevant provisions of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and other relevant AU instruments, and underlines, once again, the need for all Member States to work towards their effective implementation, in order to deepen democracy and enhance good governance on the continent;

4. Welcomes the steps already taken for the conduct of the electoral process, and calls on the Government of Burundi and all other stakeholders, including political parties and civil society, to work together, with due respect to legality, including the Constitution of Burundi, towards the successful holding of peaceful, inclusive, free, credible and transparent elections, whose results will be accepted by all and contribute to the deepening of democracy and national reconciliation;

5. Calls upon AU Member States, the United Nations and the larger international community, to provide all necessary financial and logistical support to Burundi, in order to facilitate the holding of free, fair and transparent elections, in line with African and international standards;

6. Welcomes the steps already taken by the Commission to support and observe the electoral process in Burundi, including the impending visit of a delegation from the Commission, and requests the Chairperson of the Commission to report back to Council on the outcomes of the said visit and other related AU initiatives in Burundi;

7. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.