DECISION ON THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON THE HUMANITARIAN
SITUATION IN AFRICA - Doc. EX.CL/1255(XXXVIII)
The Executive Council,
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report of the African Union Commission on the Humanitarian Situation in Africa, January-December 2020 and the recommendations contained therein.
2. EXPRESSES CONCERN at the growing number of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Africa displaced by, inter alia, conflicts, natural disaster, terrorism, effects of climate change despite the declaration of 2020 as the year of silencing the guns: creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development; while noting the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic to the humanitarian situation of Refugees and IDPs and seems poised to present a continued challenge in 2021.
3. NOTES WITH CONCERN the impact of sanctions in worsening the socioeconomic conditions in countries that are already experiencing dire humanitarian situations.”
4. DECIDES AS FOLLOWS:
a. ENCOURAGES all Member States that have not yet signed or ratified the 1969 OAU Convention and the 2009 Kampala Convention to do so, and those that have ratified these instruments are urged to fully incorporate them into domestic laws and policies to allow for their effective implementation at the national and local levels.
b. APPEALS to Member States and local authorities to support the full participation of refugees, IDPs, representatives of host communities and other affected populations in all relevant process and decisions specifically those related to national responses related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
c. REAFFIRMS the clarion call made both the United Nations Secretary General, H.E. Antonio Guterres and the AUC Chairperson, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahama for a global ceasefire in order to give peace a chance and earmark scarce resources to the noble fight against COVID-19 as this initiative is in line with the AU theme for 2020 on silencing the guns and creating conducive conditions for Africa’s development.
d. ENCOURAGES Member States to develop national mechanisms on data collection on forced displacement involving refugees, returnees and internally displaced persons, ensuring the full participation of women and the youth, given the centrality of data for better planning and effective policy response to humanitarian crisis situation.
e. REQUESTS the Commission to finalise and submit the draft statute, financial and structural implications of the operationalization of the African Humanitarian Agency (AHA) to the relevant decision-making organs of the Union for appropriate action, considering the importance and central role of the AHA as a key pillar to strengthen the coordination of humanitarian action on the continent and underlining the need to ensure that the Agency is fully funded by Africa’s own resources.
f. URGES donors and international partners to ensure the availability of adequate, flexible and predictable funding to help address the unprecedented needs of refugees and internally displaced persons in Africa and to ensure multi-year, flexible funding that transcends the humanitarian-development divide. More efforts should be exerted to fully utilize the unexploited opportunities of mobilization of resources from the private sector in Africa.
g. FURTHER ENCOURAGES Member States to ensure that the efforts being deployed by governments go beyond addressing the immediate healthcare challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to also comprehensively address the broader socio-economic impacts of the pandemic that include effects of natural disasters and climate change, endemic poverty and hunger, unemployment, social inequalities, lack of clean water, proper shelter and sanitation, urban slums and informal settlements, as well as food insecurity.
h. FURTHER CALLS ON Member States should ensure that displaced persons, returnees, host communities and migrants are included in health responses (including hygiene, provision of health information, prevention, testing, tracing and provision of Personal Protective Equipment, treatment etc.
i. FURTHER URGES Member States to intensify their efforts towards provision of basic services such as healthcare, food and nutrition as well as clean water and sanitation, especially to vulnerable groups including displaced persons, returnees, host communities and migrants, in putting in place social protection mechanisms and social safety nets programmes in order to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
j. APPEALS to international development partners, United Nations Agencies and civil society organisations to explore other practical means, including using local capacities and virtual means to ensure the continuity of social services, especially education, provided to refugees IDPs, returnees, host communities and migrants, in light of current temporary closure of schools and universities in affected Member States in their efforts to contain the spread of the COVID-19.
k. WELCOMES the offer made by the Republic of Equatorial Guinea to organize a continental humanitarian summit and donor’s/pledging conference in Equatorial Guinea with the view to preventing forced displacement and searching for solutions and calls on the Commission to extend the necessary support taking into account health protocol issued by Africa CDC.