Guinea / Press statement of the 183rd meeting of the peace and security council of the African Union
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 27, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 183rd meeting held on 26 March 2009, received a briefing from the Commission on the situation in the Republic of Guinea.
Council reiterated its position that the return to constitutional order should be in accordance with relevant provisions of the Constitutive Act, the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of Peace and Security Council and the Lome Declaration of July 2000.
Council welcomed the outcome of the two meetings of the International Contact Group on Guinea (ICG-G), held under the co-chairmanship of the AU and ECOWAS, in Conakry on 16 and 17 February 2009 and 16 March 2009, and gave its full support for the decisions taken in this context. In particular, Council reiterated the need for return to constitutional order, before the end of 2009, with the holding of legislative and presidential elections.
Council noted the continuation of political dialogue between the various political and social actors in Guinea, and in this regard, urged the illegal authorities emanating from the coup d’Etat to respond quickly to the call of the active forces on the management of the transition and to put in place, together with the forces, institutions of the transition in accordance with the commitment made by the President during his meeting with the ICG-G at its second meeting.
Council further took note of the measures taken in the fight against drug trafficking, impunity and corruption. While stressing the importance of decisive action in this area, Council requested that all actions taken in this regard should be within the framework of an appropriate legal framework and human dignity. In this respect, Council called upon the illegal authorities emanating from the coup d’Etat to take the necessary steps to ensure respect for human rights, individual freedoms and the principles of the rule of law.
Council appealed to all Member States of the AU and the international community to provide technical and financial support necessary to enable the completion of the transition on schedule.
Council welcomed the efforts of the ICG-G towards the rapid return to constitutional order in the Republic of Guinea.
SOURCE : African Union Commission (AUC)
