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Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=us-ascii Content-ID: <Pine.LNX.3.96.991005170416.6257G@mail.ocha.unon.org>
Source: OAU (dated 1 October 1999)
COMMUNIQUE OF THE FIFTY-NINTH ORDINARY SESSION OF THE CENTRAL ORGAN OF THE OAU MECHANISM FOR CONFLICT PREVENTION, MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION AT AMBASSADORIAL LEVEL,
The Central Organ of the OAU Mechanism for Conflict
Prevention, Management and Resolution, held its Fifty-Ninth
Ordinary Session at the level of Ambassadors, on 1st
October 1999, in Addis Ababa. The Session was chaired
by H.E. Mr Smail Chergui, the Ambassador of the People's
Democratic Republic of Algeria to the Federal Democratic
Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to
the OAU.
At the end of its deliberations, the Central Organ
adopted the following decisions :-
ON THE SITUATION IN THE FEDERAL ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF THE COMOROS
The Central Organ :
1. Reaffirms the position of the OAU as contained in the Decisions adopted in Algiers, especially the need for the Anjouanese party to sign without delay the Antananarivo Agreement and for the speedy restoration of constitutional order;
2. Reiterates the commitment of the OAU to the unity and territorial integrity of the Comoros;
3. Expresses its deep concern over the threats made against Anjouanese and Mohelian communities living in Grande Comoros and call upon all the parties concerned to exercise restraint and work towards the establishment of a climate of security for all the Comorians, regardless of their Island of origin;
4. Expresses also its concern over the situation in Anjouan, particularly, the acts of intimidation perpetrated against some groups in the Island, and stresses the need to create in Anjouan a climate conducive to the pursuit of OAU efforts aimed at finding a speedy solution to the crisis;
5. Supports the decision of the Secretary General to dispatch again his Special Envoy to the Comoros, to explore ways and means of overcoming the current impasse on the basis of positions adopted by the OAU and prepare the ground for the visit of a high level delegation of the countries of the Region and the Troika of the Central Organ, in conformity with the Decision adopted by the Council of Ministers in Algiers.
6. Emphasizes the need for coordination of efforts and in this regard, reaffirms the commitment of the OAU to pursue its efforts to find a lasting solution to the crisis.
ON THE PEACE PROCESS IN THE DRC
The Central Organ :
1. Welcomes the signing of the Cease-fire Agreement by all the Parties and urges them to comply with its provisions;
2. Expresses its satisfaction at the fact that the Ceasefire is holding since the signing of the Agreement;
3. Takes Note of the appointment by the Secretary General, of General Rachid LALLALI as Chairman of the Joint Military Commission (JMC) and his official installation by the Political Committee;
4. Pays tribute to the leaders of the Countries of the Region and in particular to H.E. Mr. Frederick Chiluba, President of the Republic of Zambia, Chairman of the Regional Peace Initiative on the DRC, for their untiring efforts in the search for a political solution to the crisis in the DRC;
5. Endorses the proposals contained in the Secretary General's Report, especially those relating to the installation of the JMC Headquarters, the opening of a Liaison Office in the DRC at the appropriate time and the facilitation of the Inter-Congolese Political Negotiations;
6. Further endorses the proposal approved by the Political Committee to deploy neutral investigators in the four locations in the DRC to assist the local JMCs;
7. Encourages the on-going efforts by the OAU to facilitate a decision by the Parties on the choice of a Facilitator for the Inter-Congolese Political Negotiations;
8. Further encourages the Secretary General to consider ways and means of mobilizing financial resources for the DRC peace process, particularly to support the activities of the Joint Military Commission, opening of the OAU Liaison office in the DRC and the work of the OAU Facilitator;
9. Urgently appeals to Member States of the OAU to contribute urgently to the efforts to implement the peace plan on the DRC and particularly to extend concrete support to the activities of the Joint Military Commission;
10. Appeals further to the International Community, in particular the United Nations and the European Union, to provide urgent financial and logistical assistance to the Joint Military Commission which has already started functioning, as well as for the planned Inter-Congolese Political Negotiations;
11. Encourages the Parties to the Cease-fire Agreement to provide material assistance to the Joint Military Commission to facilitate its establishment and its work;
12. Requests that any financial assistance to the peace process in the DRC be channeled through the OAU Peace Fund.
ON THE PEACE PROCESS IN SIERRA LEONE
The Central Organ :
1. Expresses its concern about the slow pace of the
implementation of the Lome Peace Agreement, drawing
the attention of the parties to the continued fragility
of the peace process and its implications for peace,
stability and development in Sierra Leone;
2. Calls Upon Corporal Foday Sankoh and Lt. Col. Johnny Paul Koromah to return as soon as possible to Freetown in order to take part in the peace process in Sierra Leone;
3. Calls on the Member States of the OAU and the wider International Community to redouble their efforts in support of the commencement of the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process which constitutes a critical factor in the implementation of the peace agreement as a whole;
4. Encourages the United Nations and ECOWAS to continue to work together to enable ECOMOG and UNOMSIL discharge their respective mandates in the Lome Peace Agreement; and in that regard welcomes the proposals of the UN Secretary General to establish a Peacekeeping Force of six thousand personnel, with contributions of troops for a significant part of the force drawn from ECOWAS countries, particularly, those currently contributing to ECOMOG;
5. Encourages the Government of Sierra Leone to continue to work to create an environment for the promotion of national reconciliation and unity and the facilitation of the peace process as a whole, including the establishment of a Government of National Unity;
6. Encourages the Secretary General to continue to play an active role, in accordance with the OAU's responsibilities as a Moral Guarantor and explore all possibilities of mobilizing assistance, including from the OAU Peace Fund, to support the efforts of ECOWAS and the Parties to the agreement in its implementation.
ON UNCONSTITUTIONAL CHANGES OF GOVERNMENTS IN AFRICA
The Central Organ :
1. Decides to reactivate its Sub-Committee on Unconstitutional Changes in conformity with the Decision of the Algiers Session of the Council of Ministers and to recompose its membership;
2. Requests the Sub-Committee to expedite its work with a view to presenting a final report to the Central Organ by January 2000;
ON THE PREPARATIONS FOR THE CONVENING OF A MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON SECURITY, STABILITY, DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION IN AFRICA (CSSDCA)
The Central Organ:
1. Endorses the establishment and composition of the Steering Committee for the preparation of the Conference as proposed by the Ministerial Consultative Meeting held in New York on 25th September 1999;
2. Entrusts the preparatory work of the Conference to the Steering Committee, to be chaired by Nigeria;
3. Requests the Steering Committee to keep the Central Organ informed of its activities and to submit Progress Report to the Council of Ministers in February 2000;
4. Further requests the Secretary General to provide the necessary support to facilitate the work of the Committee.
ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AFRICAN WOMEN'S COMMITTEE FOR PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT
The Central Organ :
1. Takes Note of the Report of the Secretary General on the establishment of the African Women's Committee on Peace and Development;
2. Expresses its strong support for the initiative to involve women in efforts aimed at promoting peace, security and development on the Continent;
3. Refers the matter to the Secretariat for further study in order to provide more clarity on its implications for the Organization, especially as it relates to the financial and institutional responsibilities of the OAU for the sustenance of the Committee;
Addis Ababa, October 1, 1999.
Editor: Dr. Ali B. Ali-Dinar, Ph.D
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