AUC Chairperson issues communiqué on the situation in Senegal

2 June | The AUC Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, issued a communiqué, strongly condemning the outbreak of violence in Senegal. He called on all political actors to exercise the utmost restraint and to avoid any acts that tarnish the face of Senegalese democracy, ‘of which Africa has always been proud’. The AUC Chairperson called for respect for the right of citizens to exercise their right to freedom of expression and demonstration and urged all citizens to respect the rule of law. He urged all actors to use the channels of dialogue to overcome their disagreements. Read more here.

AU Youth Envoy participates in an Ambassadorial-level meeting of the UN Peacebuilding Commission on YPS

7 June | The AU Youth Envoy, Chido Cleopatra Mpemba, participated in an Ambassadorial-level meeting of the UN Peacebuilding Commission on the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda in New York. The meeting was opened by the Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), Ivan Šimonović; and received briefings from UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Jayathma Wickramanayake; the AU Youth Envoy; Assistant Secretary-General and Head of the International Political Affairs Sector of the League of Arab States, Khaled Mohamed Almanzlawi; and Ahmad Afryan from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Youth Organization. Read more here.

AUPSC condemns Al-Shabaab’s attack against ATMIS operating base

9 June | The African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) condemned the attack perpetrated by Al-Shabaab, which took place on 26 May on the AU Transition Mission (ATMIS) Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces in Somalia. The AUPSC statement mourned the loss of many human lives and expressed its deepest sympathy and condolences for the Government and people of the Republic of Uganda, particularly to the families of the victims. Furthermore, the AUPSC strongly condemned Al-Shabaab, and terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and reiterated its call on the international community to continue supporting Somalia in the fight against terrorism. The PSC further gave tribute to ATMIS Troop and Police contributing countries, and in particular to all ATMIS men and women who have paid the ultimate price in the cause of peace in Somalia. The AUPSC reaffirmed its support and reiterated its commitment to ATMIS as it accompanies Somalia to restore peace, security and stability. Read full press statement here.

The AUPSC issues a communiqué adopted at its 1157^th session on the situation in the Central African Republic

13 June | The African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) held its 1157^th meeting on the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR). The session was chaired by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the AU and Chairperson of the AUPSC for the month of June, Ambassador Sophia Nyamudeza. The meeting received briefings from the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, as well as from former President of Burundi and member of the Panel of the Wise (PanWise), Domitien Ndayizeye. Statements were delivered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Central Africans Abroad of the CAR, Sylvie Baïpo Temon; the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) Commission President, Gilberto Da Piedade Verissimo; the Head of the EU Delegation to the AU, Ambassador Birgitte Markussen; and myself. As the meeting was the first on the CAR this year, the Council commemorated the fourth anniversary of the Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in CAR (PAPR-CAR), signed on 6 February 2019, and called for its full implementation. Read full communiqué issued here. 

AUC announces the arrival of AUEOM for 24 June General Elections in Sierra Leone and preliminary post-election statement issued on 26 June

20 June | The African Union Commission (AUC) announced the arrival of the African Union Election Observation Mission (AUEOM), for the 24 June General Elections in the Republic of Sierra Leone. The AUEOM was led by H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, former Prime Minister of the People’s Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and comprised 50 Short Term Observers drawn from 20 African countries. The Mission was to base its assessment on the legal framework governing elections in the Republic of Sierra Leone and the OAU/AU Declaration on the Principles Governing Democratic Elections, the standards and obligations stipulated in the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, the Principles for Election Management, Monitoring and Observation, and the International Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation. Read more here. 

AUPSC issues communiqué on its Consultative Meeting with the Pan-African Parliament

30 June | The AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) issued a communiqué adopted at its 1160^th meeting which consisted of a Consultative Meeting between the AUPSC and the Pan-African Parliament. The communiqué underscored the need for the two Organs to continue to explore practical means and ways of further enhancing their collaboration and cooperation in the promotion of peace, security, and stability in the African continent, and commended the AUC for the renewed efforts to enhance its engagements with the Pan-African Parliament. The communiqué also commended all Member States (MS) which have already signed and ratified the Protocol to the Constitutive Act of the AU relating to the Pan-African Parliament (also known as the 2014 Malabo Protocol); and encouraged those MS, which have not yet done so, to ratify the Protocol expeditiously, to enable its enforcement. Read full communiqué here.