Please refer to the attached file.
Communiqué of the 1140th meeting of the PSC held at the level of the Heads of State and Government on 17 February 2023, on the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Region and the deployment of the East African Community (EAC) Regional Force
Adopted by the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) at its 1140th meeting held at the level of the Heads of State and Government on 17 February 2023, considered the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the Region and the deployment of the East African Community (EAC) Regional Force:
The Peace and Security Council,
Recalling the Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.815 (XXXV)] adopted by the Heads of State and Government during the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union held on 5 – 6 February 2022, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, welcoming the significant progress in the Great Lakes Region evidenced by the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral cooperation among the signatories of the Agreement on Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (Framework Agreement) for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the region;
Further recalling the Decision [Ext/Assembly/AU/Dec.(XVI)] adopted during the 16th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union on Terrorism and Unconstitutional Changes of Government in Africa held on 28 May 2022, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, noting with concern the latest developments on the common border between the DRC and the Republic of Rwanda, and mandated the Chair of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), to mediate between the two parties and report on the diplomatic efforts;
Faithful to the implementation of its previous decisions and pronouncements on the situation in the DRC and the Great Lakes Region, particularly Communiqués [PSC/PR/COMM.1103 (2022)] adopted at its 1103rd meeting held on 31 August 2022; [PSC/PR/COMM.1078 (2022)] adopted at its 1078th meeting held on 19 April 2022; and [PSC/PRCOMM.1005 (2021)] adopted at its 1006th meeting held on 21 June 2021;
Noting the opening statements by H.E Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, President of the Republic of South Africa and Chairperson of the PSC for February 2023, and H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission;
Also noting the statements by H.E. Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the DRC and Chairperson of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and Southern African Development Community (SADC); H.E. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda; H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of the Republic of Burundi and Chairperson of the East African Community (EAC); and H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and ICGLR Chairperson; Further noting the statement by H.E. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN);
Reaffirming the unwavering commitment of the AU to respect the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the DRC and further reaffirming the solidarity of the AU with the people and the Government of the DRC in their legitimate aspirations for peace, stability and socio-economic development; and