Extraordinary session of the Assembly of the Union on the state of peace and security in Africa, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 25 May 2011/ Decision on the peaceful resolution of the Libyan crisis / Enhancing Africa’s Leadership, Promoting African Solutions
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 27, 2011/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Decision on the peaceful resolution of the Libyan crisis
1. The Assembly of the Union, at its extraordinary session held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on
25 May 2011, to deliberate on the state of peace and security in Africa, reviewed in‐depth the
Situation in Libya, in light of the Report of the Chairperson of the Commission
[EXT/ASSEMBLY/ AU/2.(01.2011)], as well as the update provided by the African Union
(AU) High‐Level Ad hoc Committee on Libya.
2. The Assembly, having reiterated all earlier communiqués of the Peace and Security Council
(PSC) on the situation in Libya, expressed deep concern at the prevailing situation and at its
consequences on the civilian population and the long‐term stability of Libya, as well as on the
countries of the region, in particular those of North Africa and the sahelo‐saharan area.
3. The Assembly reiterated its conviction that only a political solution to the current conflict
will make it possible to promote sustainable peace in Libya and fulfill the legitimate
aspirations of the Libyan people to democracy, rule of law, respect for human rights and good
governance, as well as preserve the unity and territorial integrity of Libya. In this respect, the
Assembly endorsed the African Union (AU) Roadmap for the Resolution of the Crisis in
Libya, as adopted by the PSC, at its 265th meeting held on 10 March 2011
[PSC/PR/COMM.2(CCLXV)], and stressed its continued relevance.
4. The Assembly reiterated the need for an immediate end to all attacks against, and abuses
of, civilians, as well as an immediate ceasefire, as demanded by Security Council resolution
1973(2011) and the PSC, to be monitored by a credible, effective and verifiable international
mechanism. The Assembly stressed that the ceasefire should lead to the establishment of a
consensual and inclusive transitional period during which the necessary reforms to meet the
legitimate aspirations of the Libyan people would be carried out, culminating in elections that
would enable the Libyans to choose freely their leaders.
5. Pending the establishment of such a ceasefire, and in view of the dire humanitarian
situation on the ground, as notably highlighted by the United Nations Under
Secretary‐General for Humanitarian Affairs and Coordinator for Emergency Relief, the
Assembly demanded an immediate pause in the fighting and in the NATO‐led air campaign,
to provide respite to the civilian population, alleviate its suffering and make it possible to
deliver the much‐needed humanitarian assistance to all those in need of it. In this respect, the
Assembly is of the well‐considered view that the continuation of the NATO‐led military
operation defeats the very purpose for which it was authorized in the first place, i.e. the
protection of the civilian population, and further complicates any transition to a democratic
dispensation in Libya.
6. The Assembly directed the PSC to diligently consider and authorize the immediate
deployment of an AU Observer Mission to closely monitor the situation, provide independent
assessment of developments taking place on the ground and facilitate the subsequent
establishment of a larger international mission that would involve the United Nations, the
League of Arab States, the AU and other organizations. The Assembly called on Member
States to provide the personnel, as well as the financial and logistical support required for the
early and effective deployment of the envisaged observer mission. It appealed to the Libyan
parties to fully cooperate with this mission, and to the AU partners to contribute to its success.
7. While reiterating the commitment of the AU to resolutions 1970(2011) and 1973(2011), the
Assembly stressed the obligation of all Member States of the United Nations and the other
concerned international actors to fully comply with the letter and spirit of those resolutions.
The Assembly expressed deep concern at the dangerous precedence being set by one‐sided
interpretations of these resolutions, in an attempt to provide a legal authority for military and
other actions on the ground that are clearly outside the scope of these resolutions, and at the
resulting negative impact on the efforts aimed at building an international order based on
legality. The Assembly requested the African Group in New York and the African members
of the United Nations Security Council, to take the initiative of the early convening of a
meeting of the Security Council, as well as the General Assembly, in order to assess the
implementation of resolutions 1970(2011) and 1973(2011).
8. The Assembly expressed Africa’s surprise and disappointment at the attempts to
marginalize the continent in the management of the Libyan conflict, recalling that the role of
the High‐Level ad hoc Committee is formally recognized by the Security Council in
paragraph 2 of resolution 1973 (2011), and falls within the overall context of Chapter VIII of
the UN Charter on the role of regional arrangements in the settlement of disputes among and
within their member States.
The Assembly also recalled that Africa, particularly the countries of the region, are those that
bear the greatest impact of the conflict in Libya, both in terms of security and socio‐economic
consequences.
9. The Assembly stressed that the lasting resolution of the Libyan crisis requires a significant
contribution by Africa and close coordination among all stakeholders. In this respect, the
Assembly pledged Africa’s solemn commitment to work closely with its multilateral partners,
in particular the United Nations and the Secretary‐General’s Special Envoy for Libya, in the
spirit of operative paragraph 2 of resolution 1973(2011), the League of Arab States, the
Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the European Union (EU), as well as with
its bilateral partners.
10. The Assembly reiterated the unique contribution that the ad hoc Committee could make to
the search for a peaceful solution to the conflict in Libya, in a manner consistent with the
objectives of resolutions 1970(2011) and 1973(2011). Accordingly, and having, once again,
expressed AU’s appreciation for the work done so far by the ad hoc Committee, the Assembly
requested the Committee to pursue and intensify its efforts, including by undertaking a further
visit to Tripoli and Benghazi, to advance the search for a political solution to the conflict,
including the speedy establishment of a consensual transitional period, on the basis of the AU
Roadmap and proposals that may be submitted by the parties. The Assembly also requested
the Committee to dispatch, as early as possible, a delegation at ministerial level to New York,
to interact with the Security Council and its members on the AU’s efforts and the way
forward in Libya.
11. The Assembly welcomed the decision to convene, in Cairo, Egypt, on 30 May 2011, of a
meeting that would bring together the AU, the League of Arab States, the OIC, the EU and
the United Nations, to work out practical steps for a ceasefire and the launching of a political
process that would lead to a lasting solution to the crisis.
12. The Assembly expressed grave preoccupation at the fate of the African migrant workers
living in Libya and of those trying to depart from the country, noting with sadness the death at
sea of several hundreds of people, mostly African citizens, after their boats sank. The
Assembly reminded the countries and organizations whose vessels patrol in the Mediterranean
Sea of their obligation to provide assistance to all boats leaving Libya. The Assembly further
stressed the need to respect the humanitarian principle of non‐refoulement from Europe’s
territorial waters and lands for the thousands of people fleeing the war ravaging Libya.
13. The Assembly paid tribute to the neighboring countries of Libya, in particular Algeria,
Egypt and Tunisia, for having received hundreds of thousands of civilians, including Africans,
fleeing the violence in Libya. The Assembly commended their generosity and hospitality,
expressing the hope that the example that they have set will be emulated elsewhere. The
Assembly also expressed appreciation to the humanitarian agencies, in particular the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM),
for their invaluable support and contribution.
14. The Assembly, looking forward to the strengthening of the AU role in the process leading
to the peaceful resolution of the Libyan crisis, requested the Commission to submit to it a
report on the evolution of the situation and progress made in the implementation of the
present decision and relevant PSC communiqués at its next ordinary session, in Malabo,
Equatorial Guinea.
SOURCE
African Union Commission (AUC)
