African Union-United Nations High-Level Consultations on the Situation in Mali in Addis Ababa

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, November 5, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, in the presence of the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Ramtane Lamamra, today had a series of meetings on the situation in Mali and the Sahel region, in the context of the follow-up to the relevant decisions of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC). In this respect, she met with the newly-appointed AU High Representative for Mali and the Sahel, former President Pierre Buyoya of Burundi, to discuss the mission entrusted to him.

In the course of the consultations with President Buyoya, the Chairperson of the Commission recalled the comprehensive approach being promoted by the AU towards an early resolution of the crises in Mali and in support of stability, security and development in the Sahel region, as encapsulated in the Strategic Concept for the Resolution of the Crises in Mali, adopted by the PSC, on 24 October 2012. The consultations also made it possible to agree on the initial activities to be undertaken by the High Representative in pursuance of his mandate, in particular an early visit to Mali and other countries of the region.

The Chairperson of the Commission also met with former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the Sahel region. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on the latest developments in the situation, as well as on the need for a holistic approach to the challenges at hand. Issues relating to coordination between the AU and the UN, as part of their partnership on peace and security, were also discussed.

The Commissioner for Peace and Security held subsequent consultations with former President Pierre Buyoya and former Prime Minister Romano Prodi, which made it possible to further define the practical measures to be taken with respect to Mali and the Sahel region.