Burkina Faso: Communiqué of the 547th meeting of the PSC, at the level of Heads of State and Government, on the situation in Burkina Faso

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 547th meeting held on 26 September 2015, at the level of Heads of State and Government, adopted the following decision on the situation in Burkina Faso:

Council

1. Takes note of the briefing given by the Commissioner for Peace and Security on the evolution of the situation in Burkina Faso;

2. Recalls communiqué PSC/PR/COMM.3(DXLIV), adopted at its 544th meeting held on 18 September 2015, within the framework of the powers devolved upon it, jointly with the Chairperson of the Commission, under Article 7 (g) of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the AU, on the imposition of sanctions each time an unconstitutional change of Government occurs in a Member State. Council also recalls the provisions of Article 16 of the Protocol, which stipulates that the Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution are an integral part of the African Peace and Security Architecture of the Union, which has the primary responsibility for the promotion of peace, security and stability in Africa ;

3. Reaffirms the total rejection by the AU of unconstitutional changes of Government, in conformity with the relevant provisions of the AU Constitutive Act and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, and expresses once again   the AU’s full determination to stop once and for all coups d’État and other attempts to take power by force;

4. Renews the AU’s strong condemnation of the kidnapping and unlawful detention, by elements of the Régiment de sécurité présidentielle (RSP), of the President and Prime Minister of the Transition, as an act of terrorism, as well as the subsequent announcement of the takeover of power by the so‐called "National Council of Democracy";

5. Expresses its appreciation to the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), President Macky Sall of Senegal, to the Facilitator of ECOWAS on the situation in Burkina Faso, President Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin, and to the other leaders of the region, for their sustained action to thwart the coup d’État by elements of the RSP and to enable the Transition resume its normal course and to conclude successfully, with the organization of presidential and legislative elections. Council welcomes the convening, in Abuja, on 22 September 2015, of the Extraordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS on the political crisis in Burkina Faso, as well as the visit to Ouagadougou, on Wednesday, 23 September 2015, by a delegation of the ECOWAS High‐level Committee of Heads of State, comprising Presidents Thomas Yayi Boni of Benin, John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger, Faure Gnassingbé of Togo and Vice‐President Yemi Osinbajo of Nigeria, as well as the Special Representative of the UN Secretary‐General for West Africa, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas;

6. Expresses its appreciation to the UN, the European Union (EU) and other multilateral and bilateral partners for their strong support to the AU principles and doctrine on the rejection of coups d’État and other forms of unconstitutional changes of Government, as well as to the efforts of the countries of the region, within the framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA);