COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), meeting in its third session, on 27 March 2004, to discuss the situation in Côte d’Ivoire:

1. expresses grave concern at the prevailing situation in Côte d’Ivoire and its consequences for peace, security and stability in that country and in the region as a whole. The Peace and Security Council deplores the loss of innocent lives, following the outbreak of violence in Abidjan, on 25 March 2004;

2. commends the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for its tireless efforts to promote lasting reconciliation in Côte d’Ivoire and reiterates AU’s support for those efforts;

3. calls on all the parties to exercise restraint and to resume political dialogue and, in this regard, to extend full cooperation to the ECOWAS, the AU and the United Nations. The Peace and Security Council further calls on the parties to work towards the full and unconditional implementation of the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement of January 2003, including the return to the Government of National Reconciliation of the opposition parties that have suspended their participation and the creation of a conducive atmosphere to that end;

4. stresses that all the Ivorian parties have a stake in the maintenance of peace and security in Côte d’Ivoire and that the Ivorian authorities have a responsibility to provide security for all citizens of the country, as well as for foreign nationals;

5. urges the United Nations to expedite the deployment of the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), as envisaged in UN Security Council resolution 1528 (2004) of 27 February 2004;

6. calls on the Chairman of the African Union and the Chairperson of the AU Commission, in liaison with the ECOWAS, the United Nations and the other members of the Monitoring Committee for the Implementation of the Paris Agreements on Côte d’Ivoire, to take the most appropriate measures to help overcome the current problems and facilitate the implementation of the reconciliation process in Côte d’Ivoire;

7. decides to remain actively seized with the matter.