COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE 124TH MEETING OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL

 

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 124th meeting

held on 30 April 2008, adopted the following decision on the situation in the Comoros:

 

Council,

1. Takes note of the Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the Situation

in the Comoros [PSC/PR/2(CXXIV)] andthe additional information provided by the

Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the Commission for the Comoros, as well as the

statements made by the representatives of Libya, the Sudan and Senegal, in their

capacity as countries that provided military, logistical and financial support to the

operation “Democracy in the Comoros. Council also takes note of the statement made

by the delegation of the Government of the Comoros;

2. Recalls decision Assembly/Dec.186(X) on the situation in the Comoros adopted

by the 10th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, held in Addis Ababa from 31

January to 2 February 2008, requesting all Member States capable of doing so to

provide the necessary support to the Comorian Government in its efforts to restore, as

quickly as possible, the authority of the Union in Anjouan and to put an end to the crisis

born out of the persistent refusal by the illegal authorities of Anjouan to comply with the

relevant texts governing the functioning of the Union of the Comoros;

3. Expresses satisfaction at the success of the operation ”Democracy in the

Comoros” launched in Anjouan on 25 March 2008, which enabled the Government of

the Union of the Comoros to remove the illegal regime of Colonel Bacar and to restore

its authority in the Island;

4. Reiterates its gratitude to the Governments of Tanzania, the Sudan, Libya and

Senegal for having responded to the request for assistance made by the Comorian

Government and for having provided military, logistical and financial support for the

operation mentioned above. Council further expresses its gratitude to France and the

United States of America for the assistance that they provided towards the reestablishment

of the authority of the Union in Anjouan;

5. Commends the Government of the Comoros for having spared no efforts to try

to resolve the crisis in Anjouan peacefully and for its full cooperation with the AU in

addressing the crisis. Council welcomes the commitment of the Comorian authorities

to take all necessary steps for the organization of new elections in Anjouan as soon as

possible, as well as for their commitment to scrupulously conform to the provisions

governing the functioning of the institutions of the Union of the Comoros and the

autonomous Islands, and appeals to all the Comorian stakeholders to consolidate the

national unity and territorial integrity of the Comoros and to take up the challenge of

social and economic development facing the country;

6. Decides to extend the mandate of the AU Electoral and Security Assistance

Mission (MAES) for another additional period of six (6) months to undertake the

following:

PSC/PR/Comm(CXXIV)

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- support the efforts being deployed by the Comorian authorities to collect the

arms and ammunition in Anjouan,

- provide the necessary assistance for the organization of elections for the

President of the autonomous Island of Anjouan, in conformity with the

Constitution of the Comoros and the relevant legislative texts, and

contribute to the creation of the requisite security conditions for the holding

of free, fair and transparent elections,

- assist in the establishment of an internal security force in Anjouan, in

conformity with the Constitution and relevant legislative texts,

- assist, within capacity, the re-organisation of the National Development

Army,

- provide, within its capacities, assistance in the domain of governance and

other related areas, and

- provide support to the activities of the Inter-Comorian Committee relating to

the definition of constitutional competences between the Union and the

autonomous Islands, as well as to the efforts aimed at rationalizing the

current institutional arrangements in the Comoros;

7. Appeals to all AU member States and the international community as a whole to

provide all necessary assistance for the organization of the forthcoming presidential

election in Anjouan and for the consolidation of peace, stability and reconciliation in the

Comoros;

8. Expresses its gratitude to all the countries that contributed to the follow-up

mechanism for the implementation of the measures imposed against the illegal

authorities of Anjouan by the 95th meeting of Council held on 10 October 2007;

9. Expresses its gratitude, once more, to the countries of the region which, under

the leadership of Republic of South Africa, have left no stone unturned over the past

years in providing assistance to the Comoros and in supporting the reconciliation

efforts;

10. Reiterates its gratitude to the AU partners involved in the Comoros (United

Nations, League of Arab States, European Union, Organisation Internationale de la

Francophonie and Indian Ocean Community) and the international community as a

whole, for their support to the various decisions of Council on the Comoros, and

requests the Commission to continue to work closely with these institutions, with a view

to consolidating reconciliation and stability in the Comoros;

11. Decides to remain seized of the matter.