ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, September 11, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 452nd meeting held on 22 August 2014, adopted the following decision on the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Region:
Council,
1. Takes note of the presentations made by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission in the Great Lakes Region and the Deputy Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), as well as by the representatives of the United Nations and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), on the implementation of the PSC Framework. Council also takes note of the statements made by the representatives of the DRC and of Angola, in its capacity as Chairman of the ICGLR and the European Union (EU), as well as Rwanda, Nigeria, France, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation as members of the UN Security Council;
2. Recalls its previous communiqués and press statements on the implementation of the PSC Framework;
3. Welcomes the continued implementation of the PSC Framework, and encourages all the signatory parties to scrupulously honour their commitments thereunder;
4. Stresses that despite the progress already made, many challenges are still to be overcome, notably: (i) the continued presence of negative forces in eastern DRC, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR); (ii) the delay in the implementation of the Conclusions of the Kampala Direct Dialogue between the DRC Government and the M23, as contained in their statements adopted in Nairobi on 12 December 2013; (iii) the illegal exploitation of natural resources in eastern DRC; and (iv) the persistence of impunity despite the reforms that the Congolese Government is endeavouring to bring about;
5. Encourages, once again, the Congolese Government and the other signatories to the PSC Framework to intensify their efforts to honour, in good faith, all their commitments. Council expresses its appreciation particularly to the Congolese Government for the results already obtained in this regard, and urges it to expedite the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR), as well as the Disarmament, Demobilization, Repatriation, Reintegration and Resettlement (DDRRR) processes;
6. Calls upon the international community to continue to support the efforts of the countries of the region to implement the PSC Framework, as well as the recommendations of the 2nd Joint ICGLR/SADC ministerial meeting, held in Luanda, on 2 July 2014, on the surrender and disarmament of the FDLR. In this regard, Council recalls the ultimatum contained in the Final Communiqué of the Second mini-Summit of Heads of State and Government of the ICGLR on the Security Situation in the DRC and the Great Lakes Region, held in Luanda, on 14 August 2014;
7. Welcomes the appointment of Mr. Said Djinnit as the new Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to the Great Lakes Region. Council welcomes him to the Region and pledges to support him. Council encourages him to pursue the efforts towards the implementation of the PSC Framework, and calls upon the Commission and the countries of the Region to give him all the support he needs to carry out his mandate;
8. Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.
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