UNION AFRICAINE
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PEACE AND SECURTY COUNCIL 871st MEETING 22 AUGUST 2019 ADDIS ABABA
PSC/PR/COMM. (DCCCLXXI)
COMMUNIQUE
Adopted by the Peace and Security Council during its 871st meeting held on 22 August 2019 on Briefing by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on the Construction of the SADC Standby Force Regional Logistics Depot (RLD)
The Peace and Security Council,
Noting the opening statement made by H.E. Ambassador Albert Ranganai Chimbindi, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the African Union and Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) for August 2019 and the presentation made by the Director of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation (OPDSC), Mr. Jorge Cardoso on the Construction of the SADC Standby Force Regional Logistics Depot;
Recalling Article 13 of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union relating to the establishment and mandate of the African Standby Force (ASF);
Further recalling declaration of the 2nd Extraordinary Meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee on Defence, Safety and Security adopted on 15 January 2016 and Assembly Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.589(XXVI) adopted at its 26th Ordinary Session of the AU in January 2016 declaring the Full Operational Capability of the ASF and mandating the continued deployment of the force.
Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:
Commends SADC Member States for the efforts being deployed towards ensuring the full operationalization of the SADC Standby Force within the overall framework of the ASF and encourages other regions to emulate the best practices of SADC;
Expresses its support to the request by the SADC for mobilization of additional resources required for the successful completion of the construction of its ASF Regional Logistic Depot; in this regard, requests AU Member States and the larger international community to extend the necessary support to the construction of the SADC Regional Logistics Depot;
Requests the Chairperson of the AU Commission to facilitate the delivery of Chinese support, as requested by SADC, towards the physical construction of the SADC Regional Logistics Depot as requested by SADC; commends China for the continued support to the efforts of the AU and the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) aimed at enhancing the capacity of the African Standby Force;
Taking into account the various threats to peace, security and stability in Africa and the centrality of the ASF in addressing these threats, stresses the need for accelerating the construction of all the Regional Logistic Depots in the five AU geographic regions; in this regard, requests the Chairperson of the Commission and the RECs/RMs Policy Organs on peace and security to provide regular briefings to the Council on the efforts towards enhancing the capability of the ASF Regional Standby Forces including the full operationalization of their respective logistics depots and other relevant operational aspects;
Underscores the importance of coordination and harmonization of efforts aimed at fully operationalizing the ASF; in this context, stresses the importance of a collective continental approach in mobilizing resources for the ASF, in order to ensure that no Region is left behind;
Looks forward to the convening of a session in which all the Policy Organs on peace and
security of the RECs/RMs will be invited to provide comprehensive briefings to Council on the progress, in the operationalization of the ASF and readiness for deployment on the Continent in fulfillment of the mandate provided for in the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security of the African Union; and
Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.