COMMUNIQUE

The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 477th meeting held on 18 December 2014, considered the issue of partnership between Council, other AU Organs, the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RMs) and adopted the following decision:

Council,

1. TakesnoteofthebriefingprovidedbytheCommissionandthestatementsmadeby the representatives of the following RECs and RMs, namely the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the North African Regional Capability (NARC), as well as by the President of the African Court on Human and People’s Rights;

2. Underscores the importance of building more collaboration and synergy between the PSC and all stakeholders, particularly other AU Organs and the RECs/RMs in the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa as envisaged in the PSC Protocol. In this context, Council stressed the need to uphold the principles of subsidiarity and comparative advantage in a way that strengthens the efforts of Africa to achieve durable peace and sustainable development;

3. Calls upon the Commission to prepare a report, which includes an analysis of the Conclusions of the 10th AU-RECs-RMs Senior Officials meeting held in Cairo, Egypt on 20 – 21 November 2014, on how more effectively the PSC can involve the RECs/RMs in its work in the promotion of peace and security on the continent;

4. Calls on the other AU Organs and the RECs/RMs in their interactions with the Council, to submit through the AU Commission, reports on their activities in the area of peace and security;

5. Requests the Commission to accelerate the ongoing assessment of the implementation of the African Peace and Security Architecture and submit a report to Council to this effect;

6. Urges all those member States that have not yet done so, to sign and ratify (a) the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Establishment of an African Court on Human and People’s Rights, and (b) all other relevant instruments relating to Organs of the Union in order to enhance respect for human rights and contribute to the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa;

7. Decides to hold a meeting with other AU Organs and the RECs/RMs in 2015, to exchange views, inter alia, on working methods for enhancing collaboration among all relevant stakeholders in the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa.

8. Decides to remain seized of the matter.