DECISION ON THE REPORT OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY
COUNCIL ON ITS ACTIVITIES AND THE STATE
OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA
Doc. Assembly/AU/6(XVIII)
The Assembly,
TAKES NOTE of the Report of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) on its Activities and the State of Peace and Security in Africa;
WELCOMES the progress made towards the full operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and the promotion of lasting peace, security and stability in Africa. COMMENDS the PSC and the Commission, as well as the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RECs/RMs), for their commitment and efforts;
NOTES WITH SATISFACTION the progress made in the consolidation of peace in Burundi, Central African Republic, The Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Liberia. ENCOURAGES all the actors concerned to be untiring in their efforts, especially as regards the deepening of national reconciliation, the promotion of good governance and democracy, the reform of the security sector, as well as the acceleration of economic revival;
NOTES ALSO WITH SATISFACTION the significant progress made in the transitional processes in Tunisia and Egypt and REITERATES ITS FULL SUPPORT for the on going efforts. EXPRESSES SATISFACTION at the measures taken by the new Libyan authorities to promote reconciliation among all Libyans and for an inclusive transition that would culminate in democratic elections, as well as their commitment to ensure the security of African migrant workers in Libya. REQUESTS the Commission to accelerate the process of establishing an AU Liaison Office in Libya, in conformity with the decision of the PSC;
COMMENDS the signing in Antananarivo, on 16 September 2011, of the Roadmap to end the crisis in Madagascar and the measures taken within the framework of its implementation, and ENCOURAGES the Malagasy parties to spare no effort to bring the transition to a successful conclusion. SALUTES SADC for the significant results it has achieved in the search for a negotiated solution to the crisis and INVITES the Commission to continue to support the implementation of the Roadmap and to mobilize the support of the international community to this end, including through the expeditious opening of the AU/SADC Liaison Office in Antananarivo;
EXPRESSES ITS SATISFACTION at the progress made in the peace and reconciliation process in Somalia, in particular the gains made on the ground, as well as the adoption of the Political Roadmap in September 2011. WELCOMES the steps being taken for the strengthening of AMISOM and TFG forces to take advantage of the current momentum on the ground and further peace and reconciliation. URGES the UN Security Council to expeditiously endorse the new Strategic Concept for future AMISOM operations, as adopted by the PSC and to authorize the required support through assessed contributions. COMMENDS AMISOM for its outstanding achievements and PAYS TRIBUTE to the Governments of Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda, as well as to IGAD, for their commitment to the achievement of lasting peace and reconciliation in Somalia. ALSO CALLS ON the Somali stakeholders to demonstrate the required unity of purpose and commitment for the full implementation of the Political Roadmap. CALLS ON all AU partners to extend the necessary support to the on-going efforts, as well as humanitarian assistance to the needy populations, particularly in view of the drought that affected Somalia and other countries in the Horn of Africa. LOOKS FORWARD to the outcome of the London meeting of 23 February 2012, which provides an opportunity for enhanced mobilization of the international community in support of the Somali people and AU’s efforts;
WELCOMES the adoption of Resolution 2023 (2011) by the United Nations Security Council which condemned Eritrea for its destabilization activities in Somalia and in the region, and URGES the Council to ensure full implementation of both this Resolution and Resolution 1907 (2009); FURTHER WELCOMES the Communique issued by the 309th Meeting of the PSC which underscored the need to ensure full implementation of these and other relevant resolutions; CALLS UPON Member States to take adequate measures to fully implement the provisions of these resolutions; and URGES the State of Eritrea to fully comply with these resolutions and desist from its destabilization activities in Somalia and in the region1;
ALSO WELCOMES the adoption, on 14 July 2011, of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) and the signing of an Agreement between the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM), ENCOURAGES the parties to fully implement the commitments made, CALLS ON the holdout groups to join the peace process without any further delay, and APPEALS to the international community to extend the necessary support to this process. REITERATES ITS FULL SUPPORT for the efforts of the AU High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) towards the launch of the Darfur Political Process (DPP), in line with the AU policy on Darfur, as encapsulated in the report and recommendations of the AU Panel on Darfur (AUPD), which provides a comprehensive roadmap for peace in Darfur. COMMENDS the AU-UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) for its invaluable contribution to peace and security in Darfur. DEPLORES the on-going fighting in some parts of Blue Nile and South Kordofan, STRESSES the urgent need for the two parties to immediately cease
Reservation of the State of Eritrea.
hostilities, and facilitate humanitarian access to those in need and the return of IDPs and refugees. In this respect, REQUESTS the AUHIP to continue the efforts it has initiated regarding the Two Areas;
EXPRESSES CONCERN at the difficulties in the post-secession negotiations between The Sudan and South Sudan, CALLS ON the two countries to immediately halt and reverse the unilateral actions they have taken regarding the issue of oil, which can only threaten their economic prospects and relations, and REQUESTS them to extend full cooperation to the AUHIP in order to speedily reach agreement on all outstanding issues, in line with the agreed principle of two viable States, in peace with each another and mutually supportive. The Assembly COMMENDS IGAD for its continued commitment and efforts to the resolution of the current difficulties. EXPRESSES APPRECIATION to the AU multilateral and bilateral partners for their support to the AUHIP efforts and APPEALS for continued coordination to expedite the conclusion of the ongoing negotiations;
EXPRESSES CONCERN at the continued impasse in the peace process between Eritrea and Ethiopia, and REITERATES AU’s call for renewed African efforts to help the two countries to overcome the current difficulties, normalize their relations and lay the foundation for lasting peace and security in the Horn of Africa. ALSO REITERATES the urgent need for the full and scrupulous implementation of the 6 June 2010 Agreement between Djibouti and Eritrea, and REQUESTS the PSC to actively follow up on the matter and report to it accordingly;
WELCOMES the launch of the Regional Cooperation Initiative against the Lord’s Resistance Army (RCI-LRA), COMMENDS the Commission and the countries concerned for the steps already taken and ENCOURAGES them to expedite the full operationalization of the Initiative. EXPRESSES AU’S GRATITUDE to the international partners which have extended support to the efforts being deployed for elimination of the LRA;
STRESSES the need for renewed efforts towards post-conflict reconstruction and development in order to consolidate peace where it has been achieved. In this respect, WELCOMES the steps being taken by the Commission for the launch of an African Solidarity Initiative to support Member States emerging from conflicts and LOOKS FORWARD to the launch of the Initiative in the margins of its next Ordinary Session;
REITERATES the importance it attaches to the implementation of the AU Border Programme (AUBP), WELCOMES the significant results achieved so far and ENCOURAGES the Commission to pursue and intensify the efforts being deployed. In this respect, CALLS FOR the expeditious finalization of the Draft Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation and REQUESTS Member States to facilitate this process by attending at the appropriate level the ministerial conference being planned by the Commission to this end;
REITERATES AU’S DEEP CONCERN at the proliferation of weapons in the Sahelo-Saharan region and the risks this situation poses for long-term security and stability, CONDEMNS STRONGLY the activities of armed groups in the region, including the recent attacks perpetrated in the northern part of Mali, EXPRESSES ITS FULL SUPPORT for the efforts being made by the countries of the region, with the support of the AU, WELCOMES the initiative by the Commission to organize, on the margins of the Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, a consultation on the outcome of the assessment mission on the security fallout of the Libyan crisis, and REQUESTS the PSC to consider, with the participation of the countries of the region, the impact of this crisis and further concrete modalities through which the AU can strengthen the efforts of the region and mobilize adequate international assistance in support of the priorities identified by the affected countries;
EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN at the spate of terrorist attacks in different parts of the continent, in particular, in Nigeria, STRONGLY CONDEMNS these terrorist attacks and REQUESTS the Commission, in particular through the African Centre on the Research and Study on Terrorism (ACRST) and the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission, to facilitate an enhanced and coordinated response to this threat, particularly in view of the emerging linkages among terrorist groups, as well as between these terrorist groups and criminal networks;
WELCOMES the comprehensive report submitted by the Chairperson of the Commission on the AU-UN Partnership on Peace and Security and the subsequent PSC decision articulating AU’s vision of this partnership. EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE to President Jacob Zuma for the initiative to convene a meeting of the Security Council on the issue on 12 January 2012 and for having personally chaired the deliberations. REITERATES Africa’s position on the urgency and need for a stronger partnership based on a forward-looking reading of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter and underpinned by the following principles: support to African ownership and priority setting; consultative decisionmaking; division of labour and sharing of responsibilities; and effective use of the respective comparative advantages of the two organizations, and REQUESTS the Commission to actively follow up on this matter and to provide regular reports