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Mali: Communiqué of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 449th meeting on the situation in Mali

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Source: African Union
Country: Libya, Mali, Nigeria

COMMUNIQUÉ

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 449th meeting held on 11 August 2014, adopted the following decision on the situation in Mali and in the Sahel region: Council,

  1. Takes note of the report of the Chairperson of the Commission on Mali and the Sahel and the activities of the AU Mission for Mali and the Sahel [PSC/PR/2. (CDXLIX)], as well as of the briefings made by the AU High Representative for Mali and the Sahel, Pierre Buyoya. Council also takes note of the statements made by the representatives of Mali, Ghana, in its capacity as Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), as well as by members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council (Chad, France, Nigeria, Rwanda, United Kingdom and the United States of America), the UN Secretariat and the European Union (EU);

  2. Recalls its previous communiqués and press statements on the situation in Mali, as well as paragraph 17 of decision Assembly/AU/Dec.536(XXIII) on the report of the Peace and Security Council on its Activities and the State of Peace and Security in Africa, adopted by the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, on 26 and 27 June 2014;

  3. Reaffirms its commitment to the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Mali;

  4. Welcomes the efforts that led to the completion of the restoration of constitutional order in Mali, following the presidential and legislative elections held during the second half of 2013. Council reiterates AU’s support to the efforts to consolidate the progress recorded in the stabilization of Mali, the restoration of State authority over the entire territory of Mali and the consolidation of peace in the country;

  5. Reiterates AU’s appreciation to the countries of the region, including Algeria and Burkina Faso, as well as to the international partners, for their efforts towards the promotion of sustainable peace, security and stability in Mali. In this regard, Council, once again, expresses AU’s appreciation to President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz of Mauritania, Chairperson of the AU, for having facilitated the conclusion, on 23 May 2014, after the unfortunate incidents that occurred in Kidal, in the north of the country, of a Ceasefire Agreement between the Government of Mali and the armed movements. Council welcomes the commitment of the Malian Government to the early resolution of the crisis in the north of Mali and to national reconciliation in the context of the follow-up to the Ouagadougou Preliminary Agreement of 18 June 2013, as well as the signature, by the armed movements, on 9 and 14 June 2014, respectively, of the Algiers Declaration and Preliminary Platform;

  6. Welcomes the successful conclusion of the first phase of the Inclusive inter-Malian Talks provided for by the Ouagadougou Agreement, with the signature, on 24 July 2014, in Algiers, by all those involved in the negotiation process, of a Consensual Roadmap and a Declaration of Cessation of Hostilities, under the auspices of the Algerian Mediation, in coordination with the AU, the UN, the ECOWAS Mediation, the EU and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and with the support of the countries of the region (Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger and Chad). Council urges the Malian Parties to seize the opportunity provided by this significant progress to find a negotiated and consensual solution to the current crisis, within the framework of the respect of the sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and the secular nature of the Republic of Mali, in furtherance of decision Assembly/AU/Dec.501(XXII) declaring 2014 – 2024 as the “Madiba Nelson Mandela Decade of Reconciliation in Africa”, adopted by the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, held in Addis Ababa from 30 to 31 January 2014, as well as of the pledge by the Heads of State and Government to silence the guns and bring a definite end to all conflicts on the continent, as contained in the 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration, adopted by the Assembly of the Union, on 25 May 2013;

  7. Takes note of the decision of the Malian Parties to conduct the second phase of the Inclusive Talks from 17 August to 11 September 2014, in Algiers. Council stresses the need for the Malian Parties to spare no efforts in maintaining among them the climate of confidence that is necessary to ensure a definitive end to all hostilities, as well as to the continuation and successful conclusion of the negotiations. In this regard, Council calls on the Malian armed movements to demonstrate tolerance and mutual accommodation, in order to facilitate the search for a lasting solution to the crisis in Mali;

  8. Expresses AU’s full support to the efforts being deployed by the Algerian Government, under the authority of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, at the request of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of Mali and with the support of the other countries of the region, with a view to helping the Malian stakeholders overcome the challenges facing their country. Council notes with satisfaction the engagement of the international partners in support of the ongoing process, whose successful conclusion will go a long way in contributing to the lasting stabilization of the situation in Mali, as well as to the efforts to overcome the peace and security challenges facing the Sahelo-Saharan region ;

  9. Takes note of the adoption by the UN Security Council, on 25 June 2014, of resolution 2164 (2014) on the situation in Mali, and urges the AU Member States to contribute to the successful implementation of the decisions contained therein, in particular the strengthening of the Integrated Multidimensional United Nations Mission for Stabilization in Mali (MINUSMA), through the provision of the required troops and police personnel;

  10. Reiterates its deep concern at the persistence of the threat of terrorism in the Sahelo-Saharan region, as evidenced by the recurring incidents in northern Mali and the continued attacks by the Boko Haram group in Nigeria. Council notes with deep concern the growing magnitude of the scourge of transnational organized crime and its links with terrorism, and notes the difficult situation prevailing in Libya, which calls, in a spirit of African solidarity, for the mobilization of the region and the continent as a whole to help this country to overcome the challenges facing it;

  11. Reiterates AU’s strong condemnation of the attacks perpetrated by terrorist and armed groups in the north of Mali, as well as its determination to combat this scourge in the context of the relevant African and international instruments, stressing, in this regard, the opportunity afforded by the Summit meeting of the Peace and Security Council open to all the Member States and to the international partners concerned, to be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 2 September 2014, under the chairmanship of President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad, as Chairperson of Council for the month of September 2014;

  12. Recalls paragraph 18 of decision Assembly/AU/Dec.536(XXIII), in which the Assembly of the Union reaffirmed the need for sustained efforts to deal in a holistic, collective and coordinated manner with the multidimensional challenges confronting the Sahel region, underscored the importance of the role of the Ministerial Platform set up in November 2013 and tasked, with the support of the UA/United Nations Technical Secretariat, to coordinate international efforts on the Sahel, welcomed the elaboration by the AU of a Strategy for the Sahel, encouraged MISAHEL to continue and intensify its efforts in support of the countries of the region, and reaffirmed its support for the Nouakchott Process on the Enhancement of Security Cooperation and the Operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) in the Sahelo-Saharan region, launched, in March 2013, under the auspices of the Commission;

  13. Commends the countries of the Sahelo-Saharan region for their commitment to work together within the framework of the Nouakchott Process, and encourages them to continue and intensify these collective efforts. In this regard, Council looks forward to the holding of the meetings of the Chiefs of Defense Staff and Ministers of Defense of the countries of the Sahelo-Saharan region to discuss the generic concepts of operations for joint patrols and mixed units, on the basis of relevant African and international experiences, as well as the modalities for strengthening the existing cooperative structures and other forms of collaboration among the countries of the region, in accordance with the conclusions of the 3rd ministerial meeting of the Nouakchott Process, held in Niamey, Niger, on 19 February 2014. Council, in the context of the fight against Boko Haram, also looks forward to the implementation of the operational conclusions of the 5th meeting of the Heads of the Intelligence and Security Services of the Sahelo-Saharan region, held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on 19 and 20 May 2014;

  14. Expresses its support to the proposed convening of a Summit of the countries participating in the Nouakchott Process, in order to mobilize greater political support to the Process and enhance its ownership by the countries of the region, in accordance with the conclusions of the Niamey ministerial meeting;

  15. Commends the AU High Representative for Mali and the Sahel, Head of MISAHEL, former President Pierre Buyoya, for his commitment and tireless efforts in favor of dialogue and reconciliation in Mali, as well as for peace, stability and security in the Sahel region as a whole. Council reiterates its support for his efforts and encourages him to pursue and intensify these efforts. Council notes with satisfaction the initiatives taken and the actions carried out by MISAHEL, within the framework of its mandate;

  16. Endorses the AU Strategy for the Sahel region, which provides an appropriate framework for a holistic and coordinated action by the AU in support to the efforts of the countries of the region and in close cooperation with the regional actors, including ECOWAS, and the international partners concerned. Council urges the AU member States and the international partners to provide political, financial and technical support for the effective implementation of the AU Strategy. In this respect, Council encourages the Commission to pursue and intensify its interaction with the EU, with the view to mobilizing financial support within the framework of the African Peace Facility (APF);

  17. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission to keep the Council regularly informed of the evolution of the Inclusive Inter-Malian Dialogue and of the implementation of the AU Strategy for the Sahel region;

  18. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.


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