Communiqué of 42nd meeting of AU Peace and Security Council

AFRICAN UNION

– PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL
– 42nd MEETING

Oct 20, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 42nd meeting, held on 20 October 2005, adopted the following decision on the renewal of the mandate of the AU Mission in the Sudan (AMIS):

Council,

1. Reiterates its full support to AMIS and the determination of the AU Member States to continue to take all possible steps to ensure the success of the Mission and the full implementation of its mandate;

2. Decides, pending a review of the situation in light of the forthcoming report of the Chairperson of the Commission on all aspects of the prevailing situation in Darfur and on AMIS operations, including the renewal of the mandate of the Mission for a longer period, to extend the mandate of AMIS for a period of three months, until 20 January 2006;

3. Urges the parties to fully honor their commitments and to extend the necessary cooperation to AMIS, to enable it to accomplish its mandate. Council also urges the parties to implement their obligations, as requested by the 9th meeting of the Joint Commission held in N’djamena, Chad, on 13 – 14 October 2005;

4. Reiterates its appeal to the Member States and AU partners to provide all the necessary support, both financial and logistical, to enable AMIS to execute its mandate;

5. Takes note of the progress made thus far in the 6th Round of the Inter-Sudanese Peace Talks on Darfur, which began in Abuja on 15 September 2005, and urges all the parties to demonstrate greater commitment and to extend the necessary cooperation to the AU Special Envoy and Chief Mediator, Salim Ahmed Salim, and his team, and to do their utmost to conclude the negotiations on power and wealth sharing and on security arrangements, by the end of this year;

6. Expresses concern over the divisions within the armed movements, especially the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A). In this respect, Council urges the leaders of the SLM/A, with the support of the AU and other members of the international community, to work towards a resolution of their differences, in order to facilitate the early conclusion of the Abuja Peace Talks and contribute to the improvement of the security situation in Darfur;

7. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.