African Union to issue new mandate on Sudan peace process
October 16, 2019 (ADDIS ABABA) – The African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) welcomed the Juba Declaration for peace in Sudan and pledged to issue a new mandate with respect this process soon.
On 10 October the African Union 15-member body was briefed about the situation in Sudan by AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Smail Chergui and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, on the Situation in Sudan.
In a decision released on Wednesday, the Council welcomed the signing of Juba Declaration and encouraged the Sudanese parties to reach a peace agreement by December 2019 as provided in the declaration of principles.
The PSC further said taking note of the request by the parties to issue a new mandate on Sudan peace negotiations.
The Council “requests the Chairperson of the AU Commission to present a proposal in this regard as soon as possible;” further said the statement.
The meeting, which was dedicated to Sudan, further discussed the UNAMID withdrawal from Darfur, as Chergui and Lacroix were in Khartoum and El-Fasher to discuss the likelihood of a delay of the end of Darfur peacekeeping mission.
The PSC said looking forward to the proposals to be made by the UNAMID Tripartite Mechanism and welcomed its decision to establish a Joint Task Force to finalize options for a possible follow-on presence to be presented in the December 2019.
“It is imperative that the withdrawal of the mission should take into account the progress made in the peace process aimed at ending the conflict,” stressed the PSC.
The Council called on all the armed groups “to commit to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Darfur”.
Furthermore, it warned that they will take sanctions against whoever rejects to join the peace process.
“Any further delays, by whomsoever, may end in those parties being labelled as spoilers for the peace process and appropriate measures being taken against them,” said the peace and security body.
The PSC was alluding to the SLM-AW leader Abdel Wahid al-Nur who maintains to hold peace talks with the new government too.
(ST)