Libya: African Union Edges Towards Recognizing New Govt

SA Presidency
President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, right, hosted a meeting of the African Union Ad Hoc High Level Committee on Libya. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda is on the left.
14 September 2011
allAfrica.com

Cape Town — An African Union (AU) panel on Libya has taken a step towards allowing the new transitional administration in Tripoli to take the country's AU seat.

The panel said in a statement on Wednesday that it has asked the head of the AU Commission, Jean Ping, to submit a report to the organisation's Peace and Security Council (PSC) "in order to enable the [PSC] to authorize the all-inclusive transitional government soon to be formed by the current authorities to occupy the seat of Libya in the AU, as soon as it is established."

The statement was issued after three members of the panel - presidents Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Congo, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Jacob Zuma of South Africa - met in Pretoria. Two other members of the panel, the presidents of Mauritania and Mali, were represented by their ambassadors to South Africa.

The panel welcomed assurances it said the AU had been given by the new Libyan leadership of their "strategic commitment" to Africa and also of their commitment "to give priority to national unity and to bring together all Libyan stakeholders, without any exception, to rebuild the country."

The panel said AU recognition "should be based on the exceptional circumstances in and the uniqueness of the situation of Libya, and without prejudice to the relevant instruments of the AU, particularly those on unconstitutional changes of governments." Until now, the AU has withheld recognition of the new administration on the same grounds that it refuses recognition of Madagascar's current government - that it seized power by unconstitutional means.

The panel has asked Ping to convene an urgent meeting of the PSC during the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

The full text of the panel's statement, as issued by the South African government on Wednesday night, follows:

1. As part of the implementation of its mandate, as reaffirmed by the 291st meeting of the Peace and Security Council (PSC), held in Addis Ababa on 26 August 2011, the African Union (AU) High-Level ad hoc Committee on Libya met at the level of Heads of State and Government in Pretoria, South Africa, on 14 September 2011, to review the situation in Libya. The meeting was attended by Presidents Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo, Yoweri Museveni of the Republic of Uganda and Jacob Zuma of the Republic of South Africa. The Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the Republic of Mali were represented by their respective ambassadors accredited to South Africa. The meeting was also attended by the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr. Jean Ping, and the Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra.

2. The participants reviewed the developments in Libya since the last meeting of the ad hoc Committee, held in Addis Ababa on 25 and 26 August 2011, and the subsequent PSC meeting of 26 August 2011. The deliberations took place in the light of the updates provided by individual members of the ad hoc Committee and the Chairperson of the Commission on his interaction with representatives of the National Transitional Council (NTC) of Libya, the United Nations and other international partners, including the League of Arab States.

3. The ad hoc Committee expressed its concern with the possibility of the current situation further undermining regional peace and security, including through terrorism and the proliferation of weapons;

4. The members of the ad hoc Committee welcomed the assurances provided by the NTC leadership, including the letter addressed to the Chairperson of the Commission on 5 September 2011, stressing: (i) the strategic commitment to the African continent; (ii) the commitment to give priority to national unity and to bring together all Libyan stakeholders, without any exception, to rebuild the country; and (iii) the commitment to protect all foreign workers within Libya, including the African migrant workers.

5. In this regard, the Committee requested the Chairperson of the African Union Commission to convene an urgent meeting of the African Union Peace and Security Council on the margins of the 66th Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York to review developments and take appropriate positions to reinforce efforts to bring peace, democracy and development, in Libya; including ensuring a united African position.

6. Having reiterated the relevance of many provisions of the AU Roadmap and of the Proposals adopted in Malabo, last July, for the long term stability of Libya and the fulfillment of the legitimate aspirations of its people, the ad hoc Committee recommended to the PSC to encourage the NTC to spare no efforts in ensuring its effective follow-up to living up to its pledge to formally institute an all-inclusive transitional government.

7. Against this background, the ad hoc Committee requested the Chairperson of the Commission to submit, as early as possible, a report to the PSC covering all relevant developments in order to enable the latter to authorize the all-inclusive transitional Government soon to be formed by the current authorities to occupy the seat of Libya in the AU, as soon as it is established. Such a decision should be based on the exceptional circumstances in and the uniqueness of the situation of Libya, and without prejudice to the relevant instruments of the AU, particularly those on unconstitutional changes of Governments.

8.To that end, the ad hoc Committee committed itself to working with the NTC and all other Libyan stakeholders towards the goal of the early establishment of an all-inclusive national unity government, and encouraged the Commission to do the same.

9. The ad hoc Committee reiterated its readiness to work with the United Nations, the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the European Union, and NATO, to ensure a coordinated support to the Libyan people;

10. The ad hoc Committee pledged the AU's readiness to extend full support in this respect and to the overall efforts to stabilize the situation, promote democracy and reconstruction; and encouraged the Chairperson of the Commission to expeditiously take all steps required for the AU to play an active role in the ongoing efforts in Libya, in line with relevant PSC decisions.

11. The ad hoc Committee reiterate the AU's call for an immediate cessation of all hostilities.

12. The ad hoc Committee expressed its sincere gratitude to the PSC for the confidence bestowed upon it. It thanked the Commission for all the support it extended for the fulfillment of its mandate.

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