Decision on the Peace Process in Burundi

DECISION ON THE PEACE PROCESS IN BURUNDI
Doc. EX/CL/42 (III)d

The Executive Council:

1. COMMENDS the leaders of Burundi, especially former President Pierre Buyoya and his successor Mr. Domitien Ndayizeye, for having successfully managed a peaceful transition as Heads of State, pursuant to the commitments made at the 15^th Regional Summit on Burundi, held on 23 July 2001, within the framework of the Arusha Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in Burundi;

2. WELCOMES the significant progress made in the Peace Process in Burundi, particularly the signing on 7 October and 2 December 2001 respectively, of Ceasefire Agreements between the Transition Government of Burundi on the one hand, and the CNDD-FDD of Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye, the PALIPEHUTU/FNL of Alain Mugabarabona and the CNDD-FDD of Pierre Nkurunziza, on the other hand;

3. EXPRESSES SERIOUS CONCERN at the continued hostilities in Burundi and the difficulties being encountered in the implementation of the 2 December 2002 Ceasefire Agreement, STRONGLY CONDEMNS the abduction of Parliamentarians by the Pierre Nkurunziza’s CNDD-FDD, and CALLS FOR their immediate and unconditional release;

4. INVITES the Regional Initiative for Peace in Burundi to convene a Regional Summit as a matter of utmost urgency to resolve the pending issues, particularly between the Transition Government of Burundi and the CNDD-FDD of Pierre Nkurunziza;

5. URGES Agathon Rwasa’s PALIPEHUTU/FNL to put an end to its attacks and to join the Peace Process with a view to concluding a Ceasefire Agreement, and ENCOURAGES the Commission to take the most appropriate measures to backstop the efforts deployed to this effect; and in the event of this group persisting in its refusal, envisage measures to prevent it from continuing with acts of violence against innocent civilians;

6. WELCOMES the deployment, in Burundi, of African Union observers pursuant to the Decision of the Central Organ meeting in its 88^th Ordinary Session at Ambassadorial level on 14 January 2003, and EXPRESSES GRATITUDE to the countries - Burkina Faso, Gabon, Mali and Tunisia - that contributed observers for this Mission;

7. ALSO WELCOMES the ongoing efforts, in conformity with the Decision of the Central Organ meeting in its 91^st Ordinary Session on 2 April 2003, to conclude the process of deployment of the African Mission in Burundi as stipulated under the 2 December 2002 Ceasefire Agreement, and REITERATES African Union’s GRATITUDE to the Government of the Republic of South Africa, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Republic of Mozambique for having contributed troops to constitute the African Mission in Burundi;

8. EXPRESSES SERIOUS CONCERN at the grossly inadequate financial and logistics resources which have considerably delayed the deployment of the African Mission, and REITERATES African Union’s urgent appeal to Member States, the United Nations and the international community at large to provide the requisite financial and logistics support for the deployment and operationalization of the African Mission in Burundi, thereby consolidating the tremendous progress achieved in the peace process in that country;

9. REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission, in concert with the Mediation, the Regional Initiative for Peace in Burundi and the United Nations to pursue its efforts aimed at mobilizing the financial and logistics resources needed for the deployment and functioning of the African Mission, particularly through the convening of a Pledging Conference;

10. WELCOMES the commencement of cantonment of combatants of Jean-Bosco Ndayikengurukiye’s CNDD-FDD and Alain Mugabarabona’s FNL armed movements, and strongly CONDEMNS the attacks perpetrated on 28 June 2003 by Pierre Nkurunziza’s CNDD-FDD against the Muyange cantonment area set up in pursuance of the African Mission Mandate, and the deadly attacks being jointly perpetrated by Pierre Nkurunziza’s CNDD-FDD and Agathon Rwasa’s PALIPEHUTU/FNL against innocent civilian populations since 7 July 2003;

11. ENCOURAGES the United Nations Mission in Burundi, the agencies of the United Nations System and other competent organizations to continue to lend their support and cooperation, particularly the requisite logistics for setting up and operationalising the cantonment sites, thereby ensuring the success of the Peace Process in Burundi;

12. MAKES AN URGENT APPEAL to the international community to ensure the early release of the economic and budget support assistance promised during the Paris Round Table and the Geneva Round Tables I and II, thereby alleviating the sufferings of the people of Burundi.