The African Union strongly condemns the terrorist attack of 24 may 2014 in Djibouti

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 26, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkozasana Dlamini-Zuma, strongly condemns the grenade attacks that targeted a restaurant in the city of Djibouti, on 24 May 2014, resulting in several deaths and injuries.

The Chairperson of the Commission assures the Government and people of Djibouti of AU's solidarity, conveys its condolences to the bereaved families and wishes speedy recovery to the injured. She expresses AU's full support to the efforts of the Government of Djibouti in combating terrorism.

The Chairperson of the Commission stresses that this cowardly attack and the terrorist attacks that continue to be perpetrated in other parts of the continent, including in Nigeria, the Sahel region, Kenya and Somalia, highlight the urgency and imperative for renewed and better coordinated efforts to prevent and combat the scourge of terrorism. She reiterates her call on AU Member States to strengthen intra-African cooperation in this area, building on the relevant AU instruments, including the 1999 OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combatting of Terrorism and its 2004 Protocol.

The Chairperson of the Commission reaffirms the Commission's commitment to continue to support the efforts of Member States. In this regard, she stresses the important role of the Algiers-based African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT).