Decision on the African Position Regarding the Copenhagen Outcome of the Conference of Parties 15 (Cop 15)

DECISION ON THE FIFTEENTH CONFERENCE OF PARTIES TO THE UNITED
NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE (UNFCCC) AND
THE KYOTO PROTOCOL^I

Doc. Assembly/AU/10 (XIV)

The Assembly,

1. TAKES NOTE of the Report of H.E Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Coordinator of the Conference of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), on the conduct and outcomes of the Fifteenth Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol, held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009;

2. ENDORSES the provisions of the Copenhagen Accord and ENCOURAGES all Member States that may wish to do so, to make individual submissions to the Secretariat of UNFCCC supporting the Accord in the context of the common but differential responsibilities and supported with the means of implementation;

3. REAFFIRMS its continued stand to remain united in all future negotiations on climate change; and ENDORSES that the leadership of H.E Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, as Coordinator of CAHOSCC, be extended to lead CAHOSCC for the next two (2) Conferences of Parties (COP16 in Mexico and COP17 in South Africa, in 2010 and 2011 respectively);

4. REQUESTS CAHOSCC to establish a streamlined single negotiating structure at the Ministerial and Expert levels to replace the current coordinating mechanism;

5. ALSO REQUESTS CAHOSCC to hold a Post-COP 15 Meeting before the Conference in Bonn, Germany in May 2010 in order to prepare for all the other meetings identified in the report of the CAHOSCC Chairperson;

FURTHER REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to take all necessary measures to register the African Union as a Party to the UNFCCC, for purposes of negotiation but consistent with the sovereign right of its Member States.