Communique of the 273rd Meeting of the Peace and Security Council

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 273rd meeting held on 21 April 2011, adopted the following decision on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire:

Council,

1. Takes note of Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in Côte d'Ivoire [PSC/PR/3(CCLXXIII)], as well as of the statements made by the Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in his capacity as the representative of the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the representatives of the ECOWAS Commission, Burkina Faso, on behalf of the Facilitator of the Direct Inter Ivorian Dialogue, and the United Nations;

2. Welcomes the fact that the democratically elected President, Mr. Alassane Dramane Ouattara, now assumes State power, marking the end of the post election crisis experienced by Côte d'Ivoire after the second round of the presidential election, which took place on 28 November 2010;

3. Decides, therefore, in accordance with paragraph 4 of the communique PSC/PR/COMM.1 (CCLII), adopted at the end of its 252nd meeting held on 9 December 2010, to lift the suspension of the participation of Côte d'Ivoire in the activities of the AU;

4. Emphasizes the imperative of sustained efforts by all the concerned Ivorian parties for the promotion of national reconciliation, consolidation of peace and socio economic recovery in Côte d'Ivoire. In this regard, the Council welcomes the call for unity and reconciliation made by President Ouattara in his speeches of 7 and 12 April 2011, and encourages him to take all necessary initiatives to achieve these objectives, including establishing, as soon as possible, a Government of National Unity and Reconciliation;

5. Reaffirms the commitment of the AU to work in close cooperation with all the concerned Ivorian parties and ECOWAS, with the support of the UN and other partners, for the consolidation of peace and promotion of genuine national reconciliation among Ivorians. In this regard, the Council notes with satisfaction the readiness of the Chairperson of the Commission, in close cooperation with the ECOWAS Commission and with the support of the UN and other bilateral and multilateral partners of the AU, to take all necessary measures to accompany the Ivorian authorities in promoting national reconciliation, deepening democracy and consolidating peace. Council encourages the Chairperson of the AU Commission and the President of the ECOWAS Commission to intensify the ongoing consultations for the implementation of joint activities to support peace building in Côte d'Ivoire;

6. Decides to dispatch, during the month of May 2011, a mission of the Peace and Security Council to Côte d'Ivoire, to express the solidarity of the AU to the authorities and the Ivorian people and assess the situation in order to allow the AU to better contribute to the crisis exit process.

7. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter, and to consider the situation in Côte d'Ivoire in the course of the month of May 2011, in light of the conclusions of the planned mission to this country as provided for in paragraph 6 above.