DECISION ON THE REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY
COUNCIL (PSC) AND THE STATE OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA
The Assembly,
COMMENDS the PSC for the significant achievements made thus far, with emphasis on early warning for effective conflict prevention and mitigation; prompt response to threats to governance, peace and security including unconstitutional changes of government; intensified support to Member States in political transitions, conflicts and post-conflict situations; endorsement of the first-ever PCRD awareness week, as well as commemoration of the annual Amnesty Month; sustained engagement with Member States ; increased engagement with AU Organs, Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs), the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and other strategic partners; and ENCOURAGES the PSC to continue to ensure strategic timeous response to conflict situations on the Continent;
UNDERLINES the importance of Africa to speak with one voice on all matters relating to peace, security and stability in the Continent, full respect of all AU Assembly and PSC decisions, including through enhanced cooperation and collaboration with the African Members of the UN Security Council (A3) and the international community;
NOTES WITH CONCERN that the five regions of the Continent experienced several challenges at varying degrees, which were compounded by the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic, including security and political-related tensions and violence at intra and inter-state level, terrorism and violent extremism, transnational organized crimes, border disputes, political governance and democratic transition sectarian and resource conflicts, secessionist agitations, maritime insecurity and strained diplomatic relations; and in this context, UNDERSCORES the leadership role of the Assembly in addressing these challenges;
WELCOMES the progress made in addressing political and security challenges in Chad; and ENCOURAGES all Chadian stakeholders to continue the implementation of the transition Roadmap, in line with the decisions of the PSC, and to maintain the inclusive, consensus-driven and peaceful nature of the transition; DIRECTS the AU Commission to pursue the implementation of its commitments, particulalry, the full implementation of the AU Support Mechanism (AUSM);
COMMENDS the President of the Central African Republic (CAR) H.E. Faustin Archange Touadera for his unfailing openness to dialogue and ENCOURAGES him to take concrete measures to restore confidence with the leaders of the opposition and other national political actors for the effective holding of the republican dialogue; EXPRESSES CONCERN over the prevailing security situation in the country; and CALLS ON the armed groups to lay down their arms in compliance with the cease-fire declared by the President of the Republic; ALSO ENCOURAGES the Government of the CAR to accelerate the proceedings of the commission of enquiry to identify the perpetrators of human rights abuses and international humanitarian law violations; RECOGNIZES the efforts of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) for its efforts in the CAR and PAYS TRIBUTE to the peacekeepers for their relentless commitment and sacrifices;
REITERATES THE CALL for the immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities in Cameroon; URGES the separatists to embrace dialogue with the Government, work towards promoting national reconciliation and social cohesion and REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission in collaboration with the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and other partners to continue engaging the Government of Cameroon with a view to mobilizing the required support to effectively address the current security situation in the Anglophone regions and the far North of the country;
APPLAUDS the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) for the significant gains made in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorist group in the Lake Chad Basin region, and COMMENDS the AU Commission, the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the continued support towards the implementation of regional stabilization programmes, including the improvement in law and order; implementation of livelihood models through the Regional Stabilisation Facility, and the resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDP), as well as regional economic recovery;
WELCOMES the significant improvements in situation in the Great Lakes Region, notably, the successful organization of elections which is significantly contributing to the deepening and consolidation of democracy, good neighborliness, as well as strengthening of bilateral and multilateral cooperation among the signatory countries of the Framework Agreement on Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework Agreement (PSCF) for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Region and, in this regard, WELCOMES the efforts being deployed by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the East African Community (EAC), ECCAS and the Southern African Development Community (SADC);
WELCOMES the positive developments in Burundi; and REITERATES its appeal for the international community to lift the sanctions imposed on Burundi, in order to enhance the opportunity for socio-economic recovery in the country; and to provide the necessary financial support to consolidate Burundi’s peace, stability and development; REQUESTS the Chairperson of the AU Commission to expedite the appointment of a new AU Special Representative for the Great Lakes/Burundi, in order to facilitate direct and continuous high-level engagements with the Governments in the Great Lakes Region;
ACKNOWLEDGES the positive progress in the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), despite the activities of local and foreign armed groups and intercommunal tensions and COMMENDS the efforts of H.E. President Felix Tshisekedi and other leaders of the region to foster peace and stability including in the fight against the COVID 19 pandemic; FURTHER COMMENDS the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), and other partners for their continuous multifaceted support for the stabilization of the DRC and the entire Great Lakes region;
REAFFIRMS its respect for the sovereignty, national unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia; COMMENDS the Government of Ethiopia for the efforts to end the internal conflict, promote national dialogue and reconciliation; and in this context, WELCOMES the establishment of the National Dialogue Commission; ENCOURAGES the parties to the conflict in northern Ethiopia to embrace national dialogue as the only viable approach for promoting lasting peace, unity and national reconciliation in the country; CALLS UPON all key stakeholders to fully commit to a political solution to the current challenges facing the country, on the premises of an immediate cessation of hostilities, pursue an unconditional and comprehensive ceasefire; unhindered humanitarian access in accordance with international humanitarian law/human rights;;
EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN over the sporadic clashes along the disputed common border between Ethiopia and Sudan and URGES the two countries to utilize the AU Border Program (AUBP) in amicably and peacefully addressing their border dispute;
WELCOMES the appointment of H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as the AU High Representative for the Horn of Africa and ENCOURAGES him to scale up his mediation efforts towards finding African-centred solutions to the conflicts in the region;
TAKES NOTE of the progress made in the political process and the fight against the Al Shabaab terrorist group in Somalia; HIGHLY COMMENDS the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the Somali defence and security forces for the achievements made thus far; and PAYS TRIBUTE to all Troop and Police Contributing Countries (T/PCCs) and to all AMISOM personnel who paid the ultimate sacrifice and WISHES speedy recovery to all those nursing injuries from Al Shabaab attacks; WELCOMES the consultations between the AU Commission and the Federal Government of Somalia on the future AU mission in Somalia post-2021, in line with UNSC Resolution 2568, and FURTHER NOTES the concept of a multidimensional transition mission, based on the Somali Transition Plan (STP), to ensure a comprehensive approach that leverages the competencies of the military, police and civilian capacities of the envisaged AU Mission; furthermore, STRONGLY URGES the leadership of Somalia to sustain engagements with the Federal Member States and other stakeholders to expedite the completion of the electoral process, to end the current political uncertainty, as well as to prioritize force generation and capacitation of the Somali National Army (SNA) and other Somali Security Forces (SSF), towards for a seamless transfer of responsibility from AM ISOM to the national security structures; URGES the international community to support the follow-on mission, and to ensure that the mission is provided with predictable and sustainable financing, at adequate levels, for the full duration of the new mission;
COMMENDS H.E. Salva Kiir Mayardit, President of the Republic of South Sudan and First Vice President, H.E. Dr. Riek Machar for placing the supreme interests of South Sudan and its people above all else; ENCOURAGES them to continue to speedily implement all outstanding provisions of the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), particularly Chapter II on the national Unified Forces (NUF) and mobilization of funding to accomplish the process; ALSO ENCOURAGES the international community to provide support in the implementation of Chapter II in order to consolidate the progress made by the Government of South Sudan; APPEALS to the international community to lift the arms embargo and other sanctions imposed on South Sudan; REQUESTS the AU Commission to continue to provide support towards the successful implementation of the R-ACRSS, including deploying technical expertise on the demilitarization, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) and security sector reform (SSR) programmes and dispatching a Post-Conflict Needs-Assessment Mission to South Sudan in identifying priorities and the required resources for the rebuilding of the country; in particular, COMMENDS H.E President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of the Republic of Uganda for offering to host in Kampala, during the course of 2022, the South Sudan Leadership Retreat, with a view to facilitating the successful implementation of all outstanding provisions of the R-ARCSS and LOOKS FORWARD to the successful outcomes of the Retreat.
REAFFIRMS the AU solidarity with the people of the Republic of the Sudan in their legitimate aspirations to deepen and consolidate democracy; and WELCOMES the appointment of civilian Cabinet of Ministers comprising technocrats on 12 January 2022; EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN over the political developments in Sudan, including the escalating intercommunal violence in western and southern Darfur provinces; CONDEMNS the killing of peaceful protestors; and URGES the authorities to refrain from using excessive force against peaceful protestors; DEMANDS the immediate and unconditional release of all political detainees; and REITERATES the zero tolerance of the Union for unconstitutional changes of government based on the AU Constitutive Act (2000) and Lome Declaration on the Framework for an OAU/AU Response to Unconstitutional Changes of Government(2000); UNDERLINES the centrality of the Constitutional Declaration of August 2019 and the Juba Peace Agreement of October 2020 as the most viable frameworks for facilitating the democratic transition in the Sudan; UNDERSCORES THE URGENT NEED for the prompt return to normal constitutional order; and STRONGLY CALLS ON all Sudanese stakeholders to demonstrate a firm commitment to dialogue, consensus-building and peaceful resolution of differences in a manner that ensures the consolidation of democracy and economic recovery and stabilization, as well as sustainable post-conflict reconstruction and development;
TAKES NOTE WITH SATISFACTION of the initiation of an inclusive and genuine national dialogue in The Comoros which will enable all political leaders to peacefully resolve their differences, and UNDERSCORES the importance of ensuring that the national dialogue is transparent, inclusive and comprehensive; REQUESTS the AU Commission to continue engaging the Government of The Comoros and provide the required technical and financial support to ensure the successful holding of the national dialogue;
APPLAUDS the Libyan authorities for the progress in the peace process and URGES them to expedite the conduct of the elections, in order to stabilize and reconcile the country and APPROVES the relocation of the Tunis-based AU Liaison Office to Tripoli, Libya, with requisite human and financial resources to adequately support the AU’s efforts on Libya;
AFFIRMS the AU solidarity with the people of Mozambique in their campaign against terrorism and violent extremism in the northern province of Cabo Delgado; COMMENDS the Southern African Development Community (SADC) for the prompt deployment of SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM), within the framework of the African Standby Force (ASF); ALSO COMMENDS the Republic of Rwanda for deploying troops to support the Republic of Mozambique based on the existing bilateral agreements and in the spirit of African solutions to African problems; and to this effect, CALLS ON AU and Partners to continue to support the efforts of Rwanda in Mozambique; REAFIRMS the unwavering commitment of the AU to mobilize the required technical and financial support to further enhance the capacity of SAMIM and Mozambique; and APPEALS to the international community to also support the Government of Mozambique to effectively counter terrorism;
EXPRESSES SERIOUS CONCERN over the resurgence of military coups d’etats in the Continent; and STRONGLY CONDEMNS the unconstitutional changes of governments in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso, ; DEMANDS the urgent and unconditional restoration of normal constitutional order in these Member States; CALLS ON Member States to uphold constitutionalism and fully respect all AU shared values, normative instruments and legal instruments, particularly AU Constitutive Act and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG); FULLY SUPPORTS the efforts being deployed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in addressing the situations in the three Member States;
STRONGLY CONDEMNS the attempted coup d’etat against the democratically elected Government of Guinea Bissau on 23-24 January 2022; and REITERATES AU’s zero tolerance on unconstitutional changes of government; REAFFIRMS AU solidarity and support for the people and Government of Guinea Bissau and its readiness to continue supporting the efforts of ECOWAS in Guinea Bissau; in this regard, ENCOURAGES all concerned in Guinea Bissau to respect national democratic institutions and to settle their differences in a peaceful manner, including through established national legal channels;
ENDORSES the PSC’s call for a comprehensive and objective analysis of the structural root causes and impact of unconstitutional changes of government in the Continent; the review of the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and the Lome Declaration on unconstitutional changes of government, with a view to factor in contemporary challenges to African peace and security and modalities to address the surge in unconstitutional changes of government in Africa;
NOTES WITH DEEP CONCERN the growing and expanding threat of terrorism and violent extremism in Africa including the influx of foreign terrorist fighters, private military companies and mercenaries; STRONGLY CONDEMNS all acts of terrorism which are unjustified under any circumstances, and sponsors of these heinous crimes; and STRONGLY WARNS all perpetrators and supporters of acts of terrorism and violent extremisms that stern measures shall be taken against them; furthermore URGES Member States, RECs/RMs, working in close collaboration with the relevant United Nations agencies, to review and further sharpen their counter terrorism tools and approaches, in order to effectively adapt to the contemporary nature of this existential threat; enhance coordination and complementarity of efforts, share intelligence and information, conduct joint capacity building training and operations;
ENCOURAGES other regions to emulate the Djibouti and Nouakchott Processes and to also establish their platforms for intelligence sharing and fusion; ACCORDINGLY COMMENDS the efforts being deployed by the Africa Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism, AU Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL) and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA), as well as the Accra Initiative in supporting Member States; REQUESTS the Commission to expedite the establishment of a counterterrorism unit within the African Standby Force; compile of the African database of terrorist groups, entities and individuals, including foreign terrorist fighters; the development and operationalization of the African Arrest Warrant for those accused of terrorist acts; and expedite the finalization of the AU comprehensive strategy for countering terrorism in Africa;
WELCOMES the initiative taken by the Commission to revise the 1977 OAU Convention for the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa and LOOKS forward to receiving the report and recommendations in this regard together with the draft comprehensive and integrated continental stabilization strategy for addressing the security threat posed by non-state armed groups (NSAGs);
ACKNOWLEDGES the work of the Commission in continuing to steadily mainstream the AU Women Peace and Security in partnership with the Office of the Special Envoy on Women Peace and Security and, in this regard, STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE of enhanced coordination and complementarity of efforts between the different entities within the Commission whose respective mandates relate to the AU Women Peace and Security agenda and UNSC Resolution 1325;
EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN over the continued violations being perpetrated against children in situations of conflicts, including killing or maiming, recruiting them as soldiers, sexual violence and general deprivation of liberty, and in this context, COMMENDS the Commission for the laudable steps taken, particularly the setup of the Africa Platform on Children Affected by Armed Conflicts (AP- CAAC) as a multi-stakeholder mechanism to foster advocacy and the development of policies and programs to address the plight of children in armed conflict situations, and REITERATES THE URGENT NEED for the Chairperson of the Commission to appoint a Special Envoy/Representative for Children Affected by Armed Conflicts;
ENDORSES the second group of African Youth Ambassadors for Peace (AYAPs) and ENCOURAGES them to continue to promote peace, security and stability of Member States and regions in line with relevant AU instruments;
ACKNOWLEDGES the inextricable link between climate, peace and security; and REAFFIRMS the importance of the Commission to contribute towards strengthening the climate resilience and adaptation capacities of Member States, including through capacity building, training and research activities; REQUESTS the Commission to expedite the finalization of a climate-related security risk assessment study, in consultation with Member States as well as to expeditiously develop a Common African Position on the nexus between Climate, Peace and Security in preparation for the COP27 to be hosted by Egypt; ALSO REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to expedite the appointment of a Special Envoy on Climate, Peace and Security;
NOTES the priority of the Commission to build and enhance the early warning and early response institutional and operational capacities of Member States; and ENCOURAGES Member States to utilize the opportunities afforded by the Commission and RECs/RMs to address structural causes of violent conflict through the implementation of the Country Structural Vulnerability and Resilience Assessment/Country Structural Vulnerability and Mitigation Strategies (CSVRA/CSVMS) processes; and in this respect, REQUESTS the Commission to establish a Monitoring and Oversight Committee comprising the AUC, RECs/RMs, APRM and Member States to facilitate effective coordination, implementation, monitoring and evaluation; ALSO WELCOMES the l-REC as strategic knowledge exchange platform on early warning and conflict prevention to promote cooperation between the RECs/RMs and AU Organs;
CONGRATULATES all Member States that have successfully organised peaceful and credible elections during the course of 2021, in line with the AU Principles and Guidelines, as well as the AU Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, as a significant contribution towards the deepening and consolidation of democracy in Africa; CONGRATULATES IN PARTICULAR those Member States which mobilised domestic resources to fund their elections and ENCOURAGES other Member States to also consider doing the same with a view to promoting national ownership of their electoral processes; ALSO ENCOURAGES Member State to continue to create conducive conditions that encourage and facilitate more participation by women, youth and people living with disabilities, as election candidates; FURTHER ENCOURAGES Member States to implement the AU Guidelines on Elections in the Context of the COVID-19 pandemic and other Public Health Emergencies, to create the necessary conducive conditions to ensure safety and security of the voters against COVID-19;
ACKNOWLEDGES the continued technical support by the AU Border Programme to Member States to peacefully resolve border disputes; ENCOURAGES Member States to continue to make full advantage of the AUBP as an effective conflict prevention tool and to contribute towards the mobilization of the required resources in order to enable the Programme to discharge its mandate effectively;
WELCOMES the modest progress achieved in the operationalization of the African Standby Force (ASF), and the adoption of the AU Doctrine on Peace Support Operations, and URGES Member States to expedite the full operationalization of the Continental and Regional Logistics bases; and COMMENDS Member States that have pledged strategic lift capabilities for the ASF and ENCOURAGES others to also pledge additional capabilities; ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES the contributions of peace support/peacekeeping centres of excellence in Africa and UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE of establishing an AU Peace Support Training Centre that will be dedicated to support PSO activities;
RECOGNIZES the support provided by the AU Commission to AU mediation efforts in the Continent; ENDORSES the nominations of the new members of the 5th Panel of the Wise to serve for a three-year term; ALSO ENDORSES the establishment of WiseYouth, as well as the outcomes of the November 2021 Nairobi High Level Retreat of AU High/Special Representatives and Envoys; REQUESTS the Commission to ensure the full operationalization of the PanWise and FemWise-Africa; in collaboration with the RECs/RMs; and ALSO REQUESTS the Commission to develop modalities for the operationalization of WiseYouth for consideration and adoption by relevant authorities as a critical mechanism for conflict prevention and media targeting African youth;
NOTES the finalization of the AU Action Plan for the Promotion and Protection of Human and People Rights for Africa (2021-2030) by the Commission, to significantly foster the promotion of a culture of respect for human and peoples’ rights, including in epidemic and pandemic contexts, as provided for in the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
REAFFIRMS Commission’s commendation for the continued support to Member States emerging from conflicts and those in transition, including the launching of a post-conflict reconstruction and development (PCRD) Awareness Week in November 2021, to be observed annually throughout the Continent and ENDORSES its institutionalization and regularization; WELCOMES the formal launching of the AU Centre for PCRD on 23 December 2021 in Cairo, Egypt; and APPEALS to Member State to make full use of the Centre; REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to mobilize all necessary resources to enable the Centre to effectively discharge its mandate, and ALSO REQUESTS the Commission to expeditiously review the 2006 AU PCRD Policy Framework and submit the report for consideration by the next ordinary session of the Assembly;
UNDERSCORES the importance of revitalizing the African Solidarity Initiative (ASI) as a platform for harnessing required resources to support recovery and stabilization efforts in Member States emerging from violent conflicts and ENCOURAGES Member States, which have not yet done so, to sign and ratify the Inter-African Convention Establishing an African Technical Cooperation Programme.
UNDERLINES THE IMPORTANCE of successful disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), as well as security sector reforms (SSR) as critical and integral components for conflict prevention, post-conflict reconstruction and development, as well as peacebuilding efforts in Member States emerging from violent conflicts; and ENCOURAGES Member States to allocate adequate resources for DDR and SSR programmes;
TAKES NOTE WITH SATISFACTION of the progress made with regard to the fully operationalization of the Revitalized AU Peace Fund, and the contributions made by Member States to the Fund, as well as the status of the endowment; COMMENDS the efforts of the Chairperson of the AU Commission, in his capacity as Chair of the Executive Management Committee and the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Peace Fund towards the pilot utilization of the Peace Fund in 2022 through costed and prioritized programmatic activities to address urgent peace and security challenges on the Continent;
WELCOMES the progress made in the implementation of the AU Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns in Africa by the Year 2030, including the adoption of the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Mechanism, which spells out modalities, actions, stakeholders, and reporting timeframes to trace the implementation of all aspects of the Master Roadmap; UNDERLINES THE IMPORTANCE of stronger political will, visionary leadership and stronger solidarity among AU Member states and their people in order to successfully implement the Master Roadmap and DIRECTS the Commission to :
Fully utilize and capacitate all mechanisms and tools available within AGA and APSA with the necessary human, technical and financial resources to address governance deficits on the Continent in line with the provisions of the ACDEG, the African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralization, Local Governance as well as the CSCPF;
Establish, in line with paragraph 19 (II) of Decision Ext/Assembly/AU/Dec.1(XIV), taken at the 14th Extraordinary Summit of December 2020, a High-level Hybrid Committee composed of Sitting and Former Heads of State and Government, with a mandate to engage leaders who intend to amend their constitutions without national consensus to prevent eruption of violence; and
Accelerate efforts to sign, ratify, harmonize and fully implement regional, continental and international instruments on illicit weapons, including relevant OAU/AU and RECs/RMs decisions and Declarations, through advocacy and mobilization of Member States, including through the domestication of Africa Amnesty Month;
ENDORSES the Conclusions of the 13th Retreat of the PSC on its Working Methods in the Context of AU Reforms, held from 27 to 29 May 2021, in Mombasa, Kenya and the Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism for the AUMR of Practical Steps for Silencing the Guns in Africa by 2030, and URGES Member States and the RECs/RMs, as well as all other relevant key stakeholders to effectively use the Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism as a guiding tool for monitoring the implementation of the Master Roadmap and reporting on progress;
FURTHER ENDORSES the Conclusions of the 8th High-Level Seminar on Peace and Security in Africa held from 2 to 4 December 2021, in Oran, Algeria; and EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE of ensuring the implementation of these Conclusions in their letter and spirit; COMMENDS the efforts being exerted by the African Members of the United Nations Security Council (A3) in effectively articulating, promoting and defending African common positions and interests within the UN Security Council; PAYS TRIBUTE to Niger and Tunisia, for their exemplary representation of Africa within the Security Council during their tenure; CONGRATULATES Gabon and Ghana on their election into the Security Council for a two year term and LOOKS FORWARD to their contribution alongside Kenya, in effectively articulating, promoting and defending African common positions and interests in the UNSC.