COMMUNIQUE of the 46th Extra-Ordinary Session of the IGAD Council of Ministers

ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 23RD JANUARY 2013

advertisements

The 46th Extra-ordinary Meeting of the IGAD Council of Ministers was convened at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 23rd January 2013 to discuss the political situation in the Federal Republic of Somalia and the peace process in the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan amongst other agenda items. The Council was chaired by H.E. Dr. Tedros Adhanom, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the current chair of the IGAD Council of Ministers. It was attended by H.E. Mme. Fowsiya Yusuf H. Adan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Yousouf, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Dijbouti, H.E. Hon. Amb. Prof. Sam K.Ongeri, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Ali Ahmed Kharti, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Sudan, H.E Sam Kutesa Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Luka Biong Deng Co Chair of Abyei Joint oversight committee (AJOC) of South Sudan, H.E. Eng. Mahboub M. Maalim, Executive Secretary of IGAD.

The meeting was also ddressed H.E. Mr. Ramtane Lamamra, Commissioner for Peace and Security and and H.E. Staffan de Mistura, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy, Co-Chair of IGAD Partners Forum.

After deliberating at length on the political situation in Somalia, the peace process between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan among other agenda items, the Council:

On Somalia
1. Congratulated the people and the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia for the unprecedented successful conclusion of the transition period and the establishments of the Federal Government, which is an important milestone for the stabilization of Somalia;
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY ON DEVELOPMENT
AUTORITÉ INTERGOUVERNEMENTALE
POUR LE DÉVELOPPEMENT

2. Welcomes and congratulates H.E. Mme. Fowsiya Yusuf H. Adan on her appointment as the new Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Somalia;

3. Commends the recent milestones achieved by the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia in a fairly short time within the framework the Six Pillar plan of action;

4. Acknowledged the security and political stabilization plan of the Federal Republic of Somalia and commits to ensure all other efforts are complimentary to the Somali plan;

5. Deliberated on the need for the components of the grand stabilization plan to be integrated into the six pillar framework and calls upon the Somali government to prepare a detailed proposal to be deliberated by the Council meeting to be convened in the next six weeks; further the council calls upon the Somali government to prepare a proposal on the government’s request for the lifting of the UN arms embargo;

6. Notes the continued commitment and the enormous sacrifices made by the Somali National Security Forces, AMISOM and the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, and their international partners, for the successful consummation of the transitional roadmap;

7. Underscores the urgency and importance of building legitimate and representative local governments and security structures in all areas recovered from Al Shabab which should take place in all regions of Somalia especially in south-central Somalia region

8. Notes the apparent gap between the successful military strategy and the much needed political strategy to realize the establishment of legitimate governance structures within the liberated areas. This vacuum risks being a fertile ground for regrouping of insurgency and insecurity;

9. Stressed the urgent need to build peace support operation with an enhanced AMISOM mandate as an interim step and to be provided with a comprehensive support package similar and equal to the support provided to UN missions; Welcomes the AU and UN reviews of the AMISOM mission and urges international support for AMISOM mandate that is aligned to the needs for reconstruction and stabilization of Somalia and ensure guaranteed and sustainable resources for humanitarian peace building and development activities;

10.Calls upon all stakeholders to work in unison for the formation of a cohesive national security force under one National command structure based on the agreement of National Security and Stabilization plan;

11.Reaffirms the importance and the central role of IGAD in bringing sustainable peace and stability in the reconstruction process in Somalia based on the needs and priorities of the six pillars policy formulated by the Federal Republic of Somalia and Urges all IGAD partners to support this approach;

12.Reiterates and strongly condemns all spoilers in this historic Somalia reconstruction process, stresses that all stakeholders must send a clear message of the absence of a place for war-lordism and extremism in Somalia;

On the peace process between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan
13.Commends both parties for the signing of agreements on most of the outstanding post secession issues and Urges them to maintain the same spirit in following through the peace process;

14.Congratulate the two principals for their personal commitments in the peace process;

15.Notes with appreciation the successful signing of the nine agreements and calls upon the parties to extend with the same zeal and commitment in the full and unconditional implementation of the 27th September 2012 signed agreements in a coordinated manner;

16.Commends and thanks the AUHIP for their commitments and efforts in reaching the agreements on the AU roadmap and urges it to continue so as to attain an amicable settlement of the pending issues with specific timelines agreed by the two parties;

17.Expresses confidence that the two member states will implement all the agreements and Pledges continued support to ensure its success;

18.Salutes the contribution of Ethiopia and AUHIP in facilitating dialogue between the two member states and for Ethiopia in offering to host this meeting;

On other issues
19.Supports the candidature of H.E. Amb. Amina Mohamed from Kenya for the position of the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO);

20.Supports further, the candidature of H.E Amb. Farah Rachad from Djibouti for the position of the Director General of UNESCO;

21. Supports the candidature of Hon. Sam Kutesa, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda for the Presidency of the 69th General Assembly of the United Nations.;

22. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

Done at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 23rd January 2013

Home
Email

Hiiraan Online