Saltar al contenido principal

Communiqué of the 1000th meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council on the activities of the PSC since its establishment, in celebration of the Council’s 1000th meeting, 25 May 2021

Países
Mundo
Fuentes
AU
Fecha de publicación
Origen
Ver original

Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 1000thmeeting held on 25 May 2021, on the activities of the PSC since its establishment, in celebration of the Council’s 1000th meeting.

The Peace and Security Council,

Commemorating the 58th Anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity/African Union (OAU/AU), and celebrating the 1000th of the Council’s recorded meetings, in nineteen (19) years since its establishment in 2004;

Taking note of the opening remarks by H.E. Ambassador Salah Francis Elhamdi, Permanent Representative of People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for May 2021 and the statement by H.E Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; also taking note the statements made by three previous AU Commissioners for Peace and Security, namely H.E. Ambassador Said Djinnit, from 2004 to 2008; H.E. Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra, , from 2008 to 2013; and H.E. Ambassador Smail Chergui, from 2013to 2021 and the statement made by Dr. Admore Mupoki Kambudzi, Former Director of the Peace and Security Department and First Secretary to the AU PSC;

Recalling the Solemn Declaration adopted at the 50th Anniversary of the OAU/AU on 25 May 2013 and the Ext/Assembly/AU/Decl.1 adopted by the 14th extraordinary session of the AU Assembly in December 2020;

Also recalling all its previous decisions and pronouncements on its activities in the promotion of peace, security, stability and development in Africa, in particular Press Statement [PSC/PR/BR.(CDXXXVII)] adopted at its 437th meeting held on25 May 2014, which marked the Tenth Anniversary of its launching; the Declaration on the Tenth Anniversary of the PSC, adopted at its 444th PSC meeting held on 25 June 2014, at Heads of State and Government level, as well as the Statement of Commitment to Peace and Security In Africa, adopted by the Heads of State and Government of the PSC, during the solemn ceremonial launching of the PSC,[PSC/AHG/ST.(X)], held on 25 May 2004, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia;

Mindful of the relevant provisions of the AU Constitutive Act and the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union which attach paramount importance to the necessity of peace, security and stability in Africa as a necessary precondition for the acceleration of socio-economic development and integration of the Continent;

Reaffirming the unwavering commitment of the PSC to the promotion of a stable, secure and peaceful Africa, as well as to realize the ideals enshrined in the Constitutive Act of the Union and the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council; and

Acting under Article 7 of its Protocol, the Peace and Security Council,

  1. Congratulates the pioneer members of the PSC, namely, Algeria, Cameroon, Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Gabon, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan and Togo for laying a solid foundation for the work of the PSC;

  2. Notes with satisfaction the progress made in the reduction of inter-state and intra-state conflicts and crisis situations in Africa, as well as in the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and the African Governance Architecture (AGA), which have contributed to the prevention, management and resolution of crises and conflicts in the Continent; and in this context emphasizes the need to ensure full operationalization of the African Standby Force (ASF)and revitalization , and the utilization of these instruments in ensuring swift and robust responses to any threats to peace, security and stability of the Continent;

  3. Underscores the progress made by AU Member States, with the support of the Commission, to enhance and promote the role and effective participation of women and the youth in the activities of the AU Commission and Regional economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RECs/RMs), as well as Member States, through such continental frameworks as Fem-wise, the Continental Framework on Youth, Peace and Security and its 10-Year Implementation Plan;

  4. 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;

  5. Express deep concern over the persistence and resurgence of conflict and crisis situations in some parts of the Continent, including the growing threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism and armed groups and in this regard, calls for redoubled efforts to enhance the effectiveness of existing early warning and early response mechanisms;

  6. Calls for sustained support to countries emerging from conflict with particular focus on promoting national reconciliation and post-conflict reconstruction and development, in order to prevent relapses into conflict and, in this regard, stresses the importance of fully capacitating and utilizing the Cairo-based AU Post-Conflict Reconciliation and Development Centre;

  7. Emphasizes the need to further enhance the capacity of the Council through the operationalization of its subsidiary bodies / sub-committees, in order to enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate and create conducive conditions for the realization of not only the AU Vision of a united, peaceful and secure Africa, but also Agenda 2063, as well as UN Sustainable Development Goals;

  8. Concerned about the gap between the AU Assembly and PSC decisions and their effective implementation on the ground, emphasizes the need to develop a Matrix on the implementation of AU Assembly and AUPSC decisions and to this end, requests the AU Commission to urgently submit practical proposals for consideration by Council;

  9. Also deeply concerned by increasing external interference in the domestic affairs of Member States, which continues to undermine the efforts of the AU, in particular the PSC in addressing peace and security challenges in the Continent, underscores the importance of enhanced cooperation and support of international partners on matters of peace and security in Africa in the spirit of African solutions for African problems ;

  10. While underscoring the primary responsibility of the United Nations Security Council to promote and maintain international peace and security, emphasizes the need for sustainable funding for activities to be carried out within the framework of APSA and AGA and, in this regard, underlines the importance of redoubling efforts in resource mobilization from within the Continent, and Capacity building in the spirit of promoting African Solutions to African problems, as well as to reduce Africa’s vulnerabilities associated with dependence on external funding for peace and security efforts and to ensure that Africa independently defines and fully owns its peace and security agenda and in this regard, reiterates the call for Member States to continue to generously contribute to the Peace Fund and the need for Council to ensure full utilization of the Fund;

  11. Requests the AU Commission to finalize the development of the AU common position on the access and use of the UN assessed contributions for AU-led peace support operations, and submit to the PSC for consideration;

  12. While acknowledging that the AU has all relevant tools to support the work of the PSC to address peace and security challenges in the Continent, emphasizes the necessity to enhance the capacity of the AU existing tools mechanism established to prevent and curb emerging threats to peace and security and promote sustainable peace, such as the Panel of the Wise, African Standby Force (ASF), AU Peace Fund, AU Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL),African Center for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development (PCRD) Center and Committee of Intelligence and Security Service of Africa (CISSA), as well as the Djibouti and Nouakchott processes;

  13. Underlines the need to promote the early warning system in the spirit of identifying at early stages conflict and crises situations while underscoring the imperative to confer the required importance to conflict prevention efforts;

  14. Renews its commitment to comprehensively address the underlying root causes and drivers of conflicts, crises and insecurity in Africa, including denialism; marginalization; corruption; poverty and disease, with special attention on the epidemics and pandemics; the illegal exploitation of natural resources; mercenarism; the illicit proliferation, circulation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons; human trafficking; migration, refugees and internally displaced persons; terrorism and violent extremism, among others, and calls for the reinforcement and consolidation of the AUPSC mandate in all conflict situations in the continent;

  15. Emphasizes the importance of strengthening partnerships between the AUPSC and all relevant regional and international partners in accordance with the provisions of its Protocol and AU decisions;

  16. Expresses deep appreciation to all AU Organs, A3, RECs/RMs, UN Security Council, European Union Political and Security Council, League of Arab States, civil society organizations and institutions, African think tanks, and the international community at large, for their continued support to Council in realizing a conflict-free Africa;

  17. Also expresses deep appreciation to the three former AU Commissioners for Peace and Security and the staff of the PSC Secretariat for their contributions and unwavering support in advancing the AU peace and security agenda;

  18. Appeals to all AU Member States, that have not done so, to sign and ratify all AU normative instruments relating to the promotion of peace and security, including the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union;

  19. Affirms its unwavering commitment to continue to discharge its mandate; and

  20. Decides to remain actively seized with all peace and security matters in the Continent.