The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), under the Chairship of H.E. Ambassador Rebecca Amuge Otengo, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Uganda to the AU and Chairperson of the PSC for May 2023, held a consultative meeting with H.E. Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of the Comoros and Chairperson of the AU, on Wednesday, 17 May 2023. 

In this historic and first-of-its-kind meeting between the PSC and the Chairperson of the AU, extensive and frank deliberations were held on the state of governance, peace and security on the Continent, focusing mainly on political transition; the Horn of Africa; the Great Lakes Region and the Sahel region. The PSC and the Chairperson of the AU highlighted the critical importance of peace, security and stability as the overarching framework to fully implement the AU theme of the year 2023 – “Acceleration of the African Continental Free Trade Area Implementation”.

The PSC and the Chairperson of the AU emphasized the imperative of a multidimensional approach in addressing the myriad of threats to governance, peace and security on the Continent, including tackling the structural drivers and emerging root causes in an ever-changing world, deepening and defending democracy, and further enhancing the capacity of institutions. They reaffirmed their zero tolerance to unconstitutional changes of government and, in this regard, highlighted the need for Member States in political transition to respect the specified timelines.

The PSC and the Chairperson of the AU reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to accompany Sudan and its people to find durable peace. They called on the parties to the armed conflict in the country to cease hostilities without pre-conditions, open the humanitarian corridor, adhere to international conventions, including International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law, and put the supreme interest of Sudan and her people above all other considerations. The PSC and the Chairperson of the AU renewed their commitment to redouble efforts to use good offices, collaborating with all stakeholders, to bring all the parties to the negotiating table, including civil society, women, and youth, to facilitate a Sudanese-owned solution.  

The PSC and Chairperson of the AU underscored the need for collective security, task-sharing, robust responses, a common African voice and position, and upholding the shared values of the Union anchored in Pan-Africanism.

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