Communiqué of the 179
th Meeting of the
Peace and Security Council
The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 179
th meeting
held on 16 March 2009, adopted the following decision on the situation in Madagascar:
Council,
1.
Takes note of the briefing by the Commission and the Statement of the
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Madagascar to the AU;
2.
Expresses its deep concern over the political stalemate in the country and the
growing tension in the capital and in other parts of Madagascar;
3.
Reaffirms its total rejection of any change or attempt at unconstitutional
change of Government as contained in the relevant texts of the AU, in particular the
Algiers Decision of July 1999, the Lomé Declaration of July 2000, the Constitutive
Act of the AU and the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and
Security Council;
4.
Reiterates the call of the AU upon the Malagasy parties to exercise utmost
restraint and refrain from any action likely to complicate the search for a solution,
challenge the republican institutions and their functioning, and seriously jeopardize
civil peace and stability in the country;
5.
Urges the parties to uphold the spirit of dialogue and compromise in order to
speedily find a peaceful and consensual solution, in conformity with the Constitution
and the institutions of Madagascar, as well as the relevant instruments of the AU;
6.
Welcomes the efforts made by the Chairperson of the Commission with the view
to expediting the settlement of the crisis. In this regard, Council noted the visit
recently undertaken by the Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador
Ramtane Lamamra, to Antananarivo and the action taken on the ground by Ablassé
Ouedraogo, Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the Commission;
7.
Underlines the importance of close coordination between all international actors
engaged in efforts to resolve the crisis in Madagascar, and, in this context,
welcomes
the collaboration between the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the
Commission, the emissaries of the United Nations, Mr. Tieble Drama, and La
Francophonie, Mr. Edem Kodjo;
PSC/PR/BR(CLXXIX)
Page 2
8. Requests the Commission to keep it regularly informed of the evolution of the
situation to enable it to take, in due course, the necessary measures on the basis of
the relevant instruments of the AU;
9. Decides to remain seized of the matter.
COMMUNIQUE OF THE 180
TH MEETING
OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL
The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 180
th meeting
held on 17 March 2009, adopted the following decision on the situation in Madagascar
in the light of recent developments in this country:
Council,
1. Recalls the Communiqué PSC/PR/COMM./CLXXIX) of its 179
th meeting on 16
March 2009;
2.
Notes the resignation by decree, today, of President Marc Ravalomanana, under
pressure from the civilian opposition and the army;
3.
Demands that the Malagasy parties comply scrupulously with the provisions of the
Constitution of Madagascar on interim arrangements in the event of resignation;
4.
Urges the Malagasy parties to uphold the spirit of dialogue and compromise in
order to find, as soon as possible, a peaceful and consensual solution to the crisis, with
the assistance of representatives of the international community in Antananarivo, in
particular, the Special Envoys of the AU, UN and la Francophonie;
5.
Reiterates its support to the Chairperson of the Commission of the AU and his
Special Envoy, Mr. Ablassé Ouédraogo, for their efforts aimed at finding a solution to
the current crisis that is consistent with the Malagasy Constitution and relevant AU
instruments;
6.
Requests that all necessary measures be taken to ensure the safety of the
President and his family, his associates , respect for individual and collective freedoms
and prevent any act of violence or intimidation and protect property;
7.
Decides to remain seized of the matter.