AU Peace and Security Council applaud panel’s work on Sudan and South Sudan.

AU Peace and Security Council applaud panel’s work on Sudan and South Sudan.

The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU) has approved the extension of the tenure of the African Union of High Level Implementation Panel on Sudan for another one year.

This was contained in a 6-point communiqué issued at the end of its 297th meeting, held on 20 October 2011, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The AU Peace and Security Council while requesting the Chairperson of the Commission to assent to this decision, said the extension was to enable the Panel to complete some outstanding issues, in line with the relevant decisions of Council and the recommendations of the AU High‐Level Panel on Darfur.

Tribute to Panellists

The communiqué paid tribute to the Panel, its members-former Presidents Thabo Mbeki, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Pierre Buyoya, as well as to the support team, for their tireless efforts in the discharge of the mandate entrusted to them.

It also expressed appreciation to the Parties for the cooperation extended to the Panel and called on them to continue to work with the Panel to finalise all outstanding issues.

The communiqué called on the international community to continue to support the work of the Panel, describing it as the best placed body to lead and co-ordinate African and international efforts regarding Sudan and South Sudan, as well as the bilateral relations thereof.

The AU Peace and Security Council will meet in November to review the situation in the Sudan and South Sudan on the basis of a comprehensive report to be submitted by the Panel.

PR/Uche Iheanacho/Hajia Sani