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Communique of the 983rd meeting of the PSC held on 4 March 2021, on the theme “Unified role of the African Members in the United Nations (UN) Security Council (A3) in the UN Security Council”

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Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 983rd meeting held on 4 March 2021, on the theme “Unified role of the African Members in the United Nations (UN) Security Council (A3) in the UN Security Council”.

The Peace and Security Council,

Noting the opening remarks made by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya to the AU and PSC Chairperson for March 2021, H.E. Ambassador Jean Njeri Kamau, and the presentations made by H.E. Ambassador Abdou Abarry, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Niger to the UN and the current coordinator of the A3, as well as by H.E. Ambassador Fatima Kyari Mohammed, AU Permanent Representative to the UN;
Also taking note of the statements made by the other representatives of the A3 +1, namely, Kenya and Tunisia, as well as St. Vincent and the Grenadines; the representative of the United Nations Office to the AU, Madam Hanna Tetteh; and the presentations made by Dr. Solomon Dersso, Director of Amani Africa and Dr. Roba Sharamo, Director of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS);
Recalling Articles 3 (a and d) of the Constitutive Act of the AU, which respectively stipulate that the objectives of the Union shall be to: (a) Achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African counties and the peoples of Africa; and (d) Promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the Continent and its peoples; also recalling Article 7 (3) of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the AU, which emphasizes that the Member States agree to accept and implement the decisions of the Peace and Security Council, in accordance with the Constitutive Act; and further recalling its pervious decisions on the role and importance of cooperation and cohesion among the A3 within the UN Security Council;
Mindful of paragraph 24 of Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.598 (XXVI), adopted by the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, held on 30 and 31 January 2016 in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), in which the Assembly reiterated that the African Members of the UN Security Council have a special responsibility to ensure that the decisions of the PSC are well reflected in the decision making process of the UNSC on peace and security issues of concern to Africa;
Reaffirming the need for the A3, to be always guided by, respect, defend, and effectively promote, the decisions and positions of the AU on all matters of peace and security in Africa; and
Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council:
1. Takes note with appreciation of the efforts of the A3 in championing, promoting and defending the common African positions and interests in the UN Security Council on peace and security issues of concern to the Continent; and in this regard, stresses the need for the PSC to continue, as appropriate, to provide timely guidance to the A3;

2. Welcomes the significantly enhanced cohesion, cooperation and coordination among the A3 over the years, including through issuing joint statements to the UN Security Council, joint media statements and a joint address to the UN media corps and encourages them to continue to further strengthen their unity and coordination with a view to more effectively amplifying the African voice and common positions on African peace and security issues in the UN Security Council agenda;

3. Commends the efforts of the A3 in mobilizing support from other members of the UN Security Council; appreciates the initiative of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to align its positions with the A3; and in this regard, underscores the need for the A3 to further strengthen its relations with the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and other relevant configurations particularly those in the UN Security Council with the facilitation of the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the UN, in New York;

4. Commends the efforts made by the A3 towards leading, both, as pen holders or co-pen holders, in some of the UN Security Council files on peace and security relating to Africa; in this context, encourages the A3 to agree on division of labor in taking lead on the various African issues and to effectively collaborate on playing the role of pen holder or co-pen holder on African files in the agenda of the UN Security Council;

5. Reiterates the request for the A3 to regularly report to the PSC with a view to appropriately reflecting the activities of the A3 through the Report of the PSC on its Activities and the State of Peace and Security in Africa, and to continue to devote a section of the Report to A3 activities and including its role to promote, defend and champion the decisions of the AU Assembly and the PSC, as well as the positions of the AU;

6. Decides to ensure the monthly consultations between the A3 and the PSC Troika, and to ensure timely provision of updates and strategic guidance to the A3 on peace and security issues ahead of the UN Security Council meetings, as well as to synchronize to the furthest extent possible the monthly programmes of work of both, the PSC and the UN Security Council;

7. Requests the AU Commission to ensure enhanced cooperation between the PSC Committee of Experts and the Experts of the A3, with a view to more effectively supporting the PSC and the A3; further requests the AU Commission to work closely with African research institutions, as a knowledge pool that facilitate cooperation and collaboration between the PSC and the A3;

8. Underscores the importance of holding the High-Level seminars on the promotion of peace and security in Africa, which is an important forum for reflecting on, and reviewing, the cooperation and collaboration between the PSC and the A3, as well as sharing of experiences and lessons in the context of ensuring the effectiveness of the A3 in discharging its mandate within the Security Council, and decides to hold the upcoming session of the foresaid seminar at earliest convenience;

9. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission to take urgent steps to further strengthen the institutional capacity of the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the UN in New York, including through availing the necessary financial and human resources after observing the applicable due process, with a view to ensure that the Mission more effectively discharges its mandate;

10. Agrees to establish a focal point from PSC Members to be in charge of cooperation and coordination between the PSC and the A3 and following up on the issues of PSC and UNSC dialogue and cooperation;

11. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.