| Decisions
of the 73rd Ordinary Session of the OAU Council of Ministers February 2001
Tripoli, Libya
CM/Dec.547 (LXXIII)
Decision
on Financial and Administrative Matters
- Doc. CM/2186
(LXXIII)
- Doc. CM/2187
(LXXIII)
Council, after considering the
Reports of:
- The Fourth Ordinary Session of the
Committee of the Advisory Sub-Committee on Administrative, Budgetary and Financial Matters
April 2000 – Doc CM/2186 (LXXIII); and
- The Sixty-Ninth Ordinary Session of
the Advisory Committee on Administrative, Budgetary and Financial Matters – Doc
CM/2187 (LXXIII);
1. TAKES NOTE of the two reports;
2. ENDORSES
all the recommendations made in the two reports and
REQUESTS the Secretary General to ensure their implementation.
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CM/Dec.548 (LXXIII)
Decision
on the Financial Report of the 1999/2000 Financial Year - Doc. CM/2182 (LXXIII)
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report;
2. COMMENDS the Secretary General
for the efforts made to improve the administrative and financial management of the
Organization;
3. ENCOURAGES
the Secretary General to continue with efforts aimed
at ensuring financial discipline in the execution
of the approved budget according to the priorities
of the Organization.
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CM/Dec. 549 (LXXIII)
Decision
on the Report of the Board of External Auditors on the Accounts of the General
Secretariat, Regional and Sub-Regional Offices for the 1999/2000 Financial Year and the
Comments of the General Scretariat and the Regional Offices - Doc. CM/2183 (LXXIII)
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report.;
2. COMMENDS the Board of External
Auditors for the work done on behalf of Member States;
3. ENDORSES the recommendations made
by the Board to improve the administrative and financial management of the Organisation
without prejudice to the current exercise to review the Financial Rules and Regulations;
4. FURTHER TAKES NOTE that the Board
of External Auditors will henceforth carry out its work between mid-September to
mid-October of each year;
5. ENCOURAGES
the General Secretariat to submit its comments on
the Report of the Consultant on the Financial Rules
and Regulations at the next Session of the Advisory
Committee in December 2001.
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CM/Dec. 550 (LXXIII)
Decision
on the Report of the Fifteenth Session of the Committee
on Contributions - Doc. CM/2189 (LXXIII)
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report;
2. COMMENDS the Member States which
are currently up-to- date in the payment of their assessed contributions;
3. DECIDES to grant temporary and
exceptional exemption from sanctions until the opening of the Seventy-fourth Ordinary
Session of the Council of Ministers, to Burundi, Equatorial Guinea, Niger and Sierra Leone
on condition that these countries respect their rescheduling plans and pay their assessed
contributions in keeping with Resolution CM/Res.1279 (LII) paragraph 2 (d);
4. DECIDES FURTHER that sanctions
imposed on the Democratic Republic of Congo be maintained;
5. TAKES NOTE that having paid 30%
of their outstanding arrears, the following Member States are entitled to temporary and
exceptional exemption from sanctions until the opening of the Seventy-Fourth Ordinary
Session of Council, unless they fail to honour their obligations to the current budget as
at 1st June 2001: Central African Republic, Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros,
Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Sao Tome & Principe and Seychelles;
6. ENDORSES the recommendations in
the Report as follows:
- that
all defaulting Member States which present rescheduling
plans should ensure that apart from honouring their
plans they also pay their assessed contributions
to the regular budget;
- that
any Member State in arrears but which pays 30% of
the outstanding amount will be considered for temporary
and exceptional exemption for a period up to the
opening of the next Session of Council, provided
it has also honoured its financial obligations to
the current budget;
- that
none of these exemptions will, in any way, influence
the mandatory sanction prohibiting the recruitment
of nationals of the defaulting countries as new
staff members as provided for in Resolution CM/Res.1311(LII).
In this regard, the General Secretariat must comply
with and strictly implement this specific measure,
not only for the recruitment of regular staff members
but also for temporary staff such as the freelance
technical staff;
- that
the Committee on the Review of the Scale of Assessment
reconvene, as soon as possible, to review the scale
of assessment.
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CM/Dec.551 (LXXIII)
Decision of congratulations to member states which
are up to date in the payment of their contribution to the Organization - Doc.CM/2188
(LXXIII)
Council:
1. COMMENDS the Member States which
have continued to set the pace in meeting their financial obligations to the regular
budget of the Organisation;
2. SPECIALLY COMMENDS the following
Member States which as at 26 February 2001 are up-do-date in the payment of their annual
contributions to the Organisation:
- Botswana
- Ethiopia
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Senegal
- South
Africa
- Swaziland
- Togo
- Mauritius
- Lesotho
- Chad
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CM/Dec.
552 (LXXIII)
Decision on
the Report of the Eighth Session of the Committee
on Conferences - Doc.CM/2184 (LXXIII)
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report and its
recommendations;
2. COMMENDS the work of the
Committee, REQUESTS the rationalization and streamlining of the number of meetings in the
Calendar and CALLS UPON particularly Organizations like the ECA, ADB and the RECs to
harmonize their calendar of meetings with that of the OAU in order to avoid duplication;
3. Further REQUESTS
the General Secretariat to implement the Calendar
of Meetings as approved by the 69th Session of the
Advisory Committee on Administrative, Budgetary and
Financial Matters.
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CM/Dec.553 (LXXIII)
Decision
on the Draft Programme Budget for the financial year 2001/2002 – Doc. CM/2185
(LXXIII)
Council:
1. APPROVES the Draft Programme
Budget for the 2001/2002 Financial Year;
2. REQUESTS the General Secretariat
to review upward the allocation for the Special Emergency Assistance Fund for Drought and
Famine in Africa;
3. URGES Member
States to pay their assessed contributions to the
OAU Regular Budget.
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CM/Dec.554 (LXXIII)
Decision on
the Progress Report of the Secretary General on the
implementation of the restructuring of the OAU General
Secretariat - Doc 2190 (LXXIII) Rev.1
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report;
2. COMMENDS the Secretary General
for the progress made so far in the implementation of the decision to restructure the
General Secretariat;
3. URGES the General Secretariat to
continue to keep Member States informed of progress in the restructuring exercise;
4. FURTHER URGES the General
Secretariat to undertake the recruitment exercise with utmost care and in all transparency
in order to select the best candidates for the Organization bearing in mind competence and
also geographical distribution;
5. CALLS UPON
the Secretary General to submit to the next Session
of the Council within the framework of the Career
Development Plan, comprehensive proposals to address
motivation of Staff, including the review of salaries.
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CM/Dec.555 (LXXIII)
Decision on the
Report of the 27th Ordinary Session of the Ad Hoc
Committee on the Structural Reform of the OAU relating
to the Restructuring of the Scientific and Technical
Offices
- Doc.CM/2199 (LXXIII)
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the report as well
as the recommendations contained therein;
2. COMMENDS the OAU Ad Hoc Committee
on Structural Reform and the General Secretariat for the efforts deployed towards
implementation of Decision CM/Dec.461 (LXX) on the restructuring of the Scientific and
Technical Offices;
3. DECIDES as follows:
- For the Office of the OAU
Inter-African Bureau for Animal Research (OAU/IBAR Nairobi, Kenya);
- OAU/IBAR remains the structure of a
OAU with a wide degree of administrative and financial autonomy;
- OAU/IBAR should be provided with high
level professional leadership to enable it carry out its mandate efficiently;
- A multidisciplinary team of experts
should be recruited to carry out a detailed evaluation of the activities of IBAR and
propose a new structure for the OAU/IBAR;
- The Team should take into account
most of the proposals made under option one (para 49-51 of Document DTT/25/1);
- The Team should conduct wide
consultations before making its submission;
- The Team should also evaluate the
staff and identify those who will fit in the new structure;
- In setting up the multidisciplinary
teams, the OAU should take advantage of the financing available under some OAU/IBAR
projects for the capacity building referred to above;
- IBAR Office should design and
implement an information and communication strategy to disseminate information about its
activities to all Member States, their representatives at the OAU Headquarters, partners
and potential partners;
- The OAU Secretariat should provide
assistance to the OAU/IBAR Office to develop programmes, carry out resource mobilisation
and outreach programmes to beneficiaries and donors.
- For the OAU/IAPSC Office in Yaounde
(Cameroon):
- OAU/IAPSC remains a structure of the
OAU with a wide degree of administrative and financial autonomy;
- OAU/IAPSC should be provided with
high level professional leadership to enable it carry out its mandate efficiently;
- A multidisciplinary team of experts
should be recruited to carry out a detailed evaluation of the activities of the IAPSC and
propose a new structure for the OAU/IAPSC;
- The team should take into account
most of the proposals made under option one (para 65-68 of document DTT/25/1);
- The Team should conduct wide
consultations before making its submission;
- The Team should also evaluate the
staff and identify those who will fit in the new structure;
- In setting up multidisciplinary
teams, the OAU should take advantage of the financing available under some OAU/IAPSC
projects for capacity building referred to above;
- IAPSC Office should design and
implement an information and communication strategy about its activities to all Member
States, their representatives at the OAU Headquarters, partners and potential partners;
- The OAU Secretariat should provide
assistance to the OAU/IAPSC Office to develop programmes, carry out resource mobilization
and outreach programmes to beneficiaries and donors.
- For the International Coordination
Office (ICO) of the Regional Programme for the Integrated Management of the Fouta-Djallon
Highlands (RPIM-FDH) in Conakry (Guinea):
- To endorse the principle of the
transfer of responsibility for the Fouta-Djallon Highlands Integrated Development
Programme to ECOWAS;
- To urge the General Secretariat to
take the necessary steps to ensure the immediate take off of the Institutional and
Technical studies;
- To call on the General Secretariat of
the OAU to carry out consultations with the Secretariat of ECOWAS to work out the transfer
modalities, on the understanding that the outcome of these consultations would be
presented to the policy organs of the two organisations for final decision on the
transfer;
- To request the General Secretariat to
submit the outcome of the above-mentioned consultation to the 75th Ordinary Session of the
Council of Ministers;
- To request the General Secretariat to
continue to provide the International Coordination Office with financial assistance for
the execution of its programmes, give it all the necessary support towards mobilisation of
resources and to make its programmes better known to the beneficiary States and donors.
- For the CEHLTO Office, Niamey
- To take note of the Recommendations
of the 27th Ordinary Session of the Ad Hoc Committee on Structural Reform;
- To recommend that a supplementary
study be carried out by an Independent Expert on an agreed Terms of Reference;
- To request the Secretary General to
submit a detailed Report on the outcome of the above-mentioned study to the 75th Ordinary
Session of the OAU Council of Ministers;
4. URGES the governments of the
countries hosting the above Offices to provide them with suitable premises to enable them
to function normally, and to ensure the maintenance and upkeep of the premises so provided
as well as all other facilities necessary for the functioning of these Offices;
5. REQUESTS that the Headquarters
Agreement between the OAU and the respective Host Countries be reviewed and updated as
part of the restructuring of these Offices;
6. FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary
General to release from service the staff members of the above Offices who have opted for
voluntary departure, in accordance with the established modalities;
7. FINALLY REQUESTS
the Secretary General to take appropriate measures
for the immediate implementation of these decisions
and provisions.
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CM/Dec.556 (LXXIII)
Decision
on the Report of the Secretary General on the Status
of the OAU Peace Fund -
Doc. CM/2192 (LXXIII)
Council:
1. EXPRESSES its grave concern over
the critical financial situation of the OAU Peace Fund and the negative implications for
the work of the OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution;
2. EXPRESSES its gratitude to OAU
partner countries and the Institutions which have contributed to the OAU Peace Fund, and
APPEALS to them to continue to provide such assistance;
3. PAYS TRIBUTE to those Member
States which have made voluntary contributions to the Fund (namely South Africa, Algeria,
Benin, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Egypt, Lesotho, Mauritius, Namibia, Tunisia, Uganda,
Zambia) and URGES other Member States to make voluntary contributions to the Fund;
4. REQUESTS
the General Secretariat to pursue and intensify its
efforts aimed at mobilizing additional resources for
the Fund, from within and outside the Continent, and
to adopt the most appropriate strategies, to that
effect.
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CM/Dec.557 (LXXIII)
Decision
on the Report of the Secretary General on the Progress
in the Implementation of the Algiers and Lome Decisions
and Regulations - Doc.2193 (LXXIII) - a
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report;
2. REQUESTS
Member States to carry out the activities and recommendations
contained in the Report of the Committee of Ambassadors
and Other Plenipotentiaries.
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CM/Dec.558 (LXXIII)
Decision on the Report of the Secretary General on
the cooperation between the African Economic Community (AEC) and the Regional Economic
Communities (RECs) - Doc. CM/2193 (LXXIII) - b
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the report;
2. ENDORSES
the conclusion of the first meeting of the Committee
on Coordination, established under the Protocol on
Relations between the African Economic Community and
the Regional Economic Communities, held in Tripoli
on 22 and 24 February 2001.
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CM/Dec.559 (LXXIII)
Decision on the
Report of the Secretary General on the establishment
of the African Energy Commission
- Doc CM/2193 (LXXIII) - c
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the report of the
Secretary General and COMMENDS the efforts of the Secretariat towards the establishment of
the African Energy Commission;
2. ENDORSES the principle of
establishment of the African Energy Commission and URGES all OAU Member States to
participate in the Conference of African Ministers of Energy to consider the establishment
of the African Energy Commission to be held in Algiers, Algeria on 23 – 24 April 2001
and EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE to the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of
Algeria for offering to host the Ministerial meeting;
3. INVITES all OAU Member States to
make financial contributions towards the establishment of the African Energy Commission
(AFREC);
4. ALSO EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE to
the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt for having hosted the experts meeting for the
establishment of the African Energy Commission (AFREC);
5. REQUESTS
the Secretary General to report to the 74th Ordinary
Session of Council and 37th Ordinary Session of the
Assembly for final decision.
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CM/Dec.560 (LXXIII)
Decision on
the Report of the Secretary General on the Eradication
of Tse Tse Fly from Africa
(Doc.CM/2193 (LXXIII) - d
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the report of the
Secretary General and COMMENDS the OAU Secretariat for the steps taken for the eradication
of Tse Tse fly;
2. EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE to the
International Atomic Energy Agency for the invaluable contribution it rendered to the
Secretariat for the implementation of the Summit Decision, by assigning a consultant to
assist the General Secretariat to prepare adequately for the launching of the campaign
without delay;
3. ALSO TAKES NOTE of the progress
made in the implementation of the Summit decision particularly the preparation of the
"Plan of Action" for the eradication of tse tse fly;
4. CALLS UPON OAU Partners, donor
agencies and the International Community to respond positively to the request of the OAU
Secretary General in his endeavour to mobilize funds for the implementation of the Summit
Decision on Tse tse eradication;
5. URGES Member States to establish
national projects, wherever they do not exist and to support the ongoing national projects
in all aspects as their success would encourage other countries to do the same;
6. REQUESTS the Secretary General to
convene the Fourth OAU Seminar on the eradication of the tse tse fly from Africa as part
of the declaration of 2001 as the year of launching the campaign for eradication of tse
tse fly from the continent;
7. FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary
General to encourage the launching of the process of establishment of Regional PATTEC
Pilot Projects (RPP) in each region of the Continent;
8. FINALLY REQUESTS
the Secretary General to submit a report on the progress
so far made to the next OAU Summit.
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CM/Dec.561 (LXXIII)
Decision on
the Report of the Secretary General on the Preparation
for the 8th All-Africa Trade Fair
- Doc. CM/2193 (LXXIII) - e
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the report;
2. ENDORSES the decision of the 3rd
Conference of African Ministers of Trade held under the auspices of the AEC Committee on
Trade, Customs and Immigration that the 8th All-Africa Trade Fair be held in Egypt in
March/April 2002;
3. REQUESTS the Secretary General to
carry out consultations with the Government of Egypt to fix the precise dates for the
Fair;
4. CONSTITUTES the Technical
Organizing Committee for the 8th All-Africa Trade Fair as follows:
- Chairman: Egypt;
- Members: Nigeria, Senegal, The Sudan,
Cameroon and South Africa;
- Representatives of Regional Economic
Communities: ECOWAS, COMESA, ECCAS, UMA, SADC, CENSAD and IGAD;
- Collaborating Agencies: International
Trade Centre (ITC) of UNCTAD/WTO, UNIDO, UNCTAD Secretariat, ACP Secretariat, ACP Chamber
of Commerce, FAO, UNECA, ADB, Union of African Radio and Television Agencies (URTNA), the
Pan-African News Agency (PANA), the African Federation of Women Entrepreneurs (AFWE), the
East and Southern Africa Business Organization (ESABO), the Africa-Export/Import Bank
(AFREXIMBANK), Association of African Airlines (AFRAA), the World Tourism Organization
(WTO), the International Chamber of Commerce, and Union of International Trade Fairs;
5. ESTABLISHES the calendar of
meetings of the Technical Organizing Committee as April/May 2001, October/November 2001
and January/February 2002;
6. APPEALS to the European Union
Commission, the UNDP and all Bi-lateral Development Partners of the OAU to favourably
consider requests of the OAU and/or its Member States for financial and technical
assistance to facilitate the holding of the Fair;
7. URGES all Member States to make
early plans and preparations to mobilize their economic operators to fully participate in
the Fair;
8. REQUESTS
the Secretary General to present periodic reports
to Council and to ensure the success of the Fair.
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CM/Dec.562 (LXXIII)
Decision
on the Report of the Secretary General on Progress
in Preparation for the Conference on Africa's External
Debt - Doc. CM/2193 (LXXIII) - f
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report.
2. REQUESTS the Secretary General to
deepen the preparatory process for the Conference on Africa’s External Debt by taking
the necessary steps to widen the scope of technical work and urgently constituting the
Independent Panel of High-Level African Experts to backstop the Contact Group on
Africa’s External Debt;
3. ALSO REQUESTS the Secretary
General to urgently convene the Independent Experts Panel to carry out a comprehensive
diagnosis of the Africa’s External Debt Problem, including the holding of an African
regional experts seminar to conduct an analysis of Africa’s External Debt and the
establishment of an African Debt Management Fund;
4. FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary
General to submit proposals to the African Regional Conference which will deepen the
reflection on the matter, with a view to re-engaging the creditor countries and
institutions on the problem of Africa’s External Debt;
5. REITERATES the urgent need for
the General Secretariat to coordinate its technical work on Africa’s Debt with that
of the United Nations Preparatory Committee on the International Conference on Development
Financing in order to prepare and adopt a Common African Position ahead of the United
Nations International Conference on Development Financing scheduled for 2002;
6. FURTHER REQUESTS the General
Secretariat to redouble its efforts aimed at reforming the International Finance
Architecture through proper coordination and collaboration with the IMF and the World
Bank, to ensure the inclusion and participation of African States in the decision making
processes of the international financial system;
7. FINALLY REQUESTS the Secretary
General to convene at the appropriate time the 1st Meeting of the Specialized Technical
Committee on Monetary and Financial Matters of the African Economic Community to take
decision on the matter;
8. APPEALS to
all agencies of the United Nations system, including
UNECA and UNCTAD as well as the African Development
Bank to provide the necessary financial and technical
assistance to that end.
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CM/Dec.563 (LXXIII)
Decision on the Report of the Secretary General on
Revision of the 1968 African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural
Resources (Algiers Convention) - Doc. CM/2193 (LXXIII) - g
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the report and
appreciates the assistance of UNEP and IUCN in this respect;
2. CALLS UPON:
- the General Secretariat to continue
to collaborate closely with UNEP and IUCN to ensure the timely conclusion of the revision
of the Algiers Convention;
- the General Secretariat to allocate
sufficient financial resources for the convening of the African Experts Meeting on the
revision of the Convention;
- Member States, particularly those
that are parties to the Convention to actively participate in the revision process by
ensuring that their views and comments on the revised draft Convention are ready on time
for the Experts meeting;
3. EXPRESSES
ITS APPRECIATION and gratitude to the UNEP and IYCN
for their assistance in this process and REQUESTS
them to further assist the Secretariat in its efforts
to mobilize resources for this process.
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CM/Dec.564 (LXXIII)
Decision on the Report of the Secretary General on
the nomination of new members for the OAU Ad Hoc Administrative Tribunal - Doc.CM/2195
(LXXIII)
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report;
2. COMMENDS the outgoing members of
the OAU Ad Hoc Administrative Tribunal for their work;
3. APPROVES the recommendation for
the nomination of the following Member States as new members of the Tribunal: Madagascar,
Malawi and Mali;
4. CALLS UPON
the new members to designate judges to the Tribunal
as expeditiously as possible.
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CM/Dec.565 (LXXIII)
Decision
on the Report of the Secretary General on the Status
of OAU Treaties -
Doc. CM/2196 (LXXIII)
1. TAKE NOTE of the Report;
2. COMMENDS the Member States that
have signed and/or ratified the various OAU Treaties;
3. APPEALS to
all those Member States that have not yet signed and/or
ratified these treaties to do so as expeditiously
as possible.
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CM/Dec.566 (LXXIII)
Decision on the
Draft Protocol to the Treaty establishing the African
Economic Community relating to the Pan-African Parliament - Doc. CM/2198 (LXXIII) Annex
I
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report;
2. APPROVES the Draft Protocol to
the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community relating to the Pan-African
Parliament;
3. RECOMMENDS
the Draft Protocol to the Treaty Establishing the
African Economic Community relating to the Pan-African
Parliament to the Assembly of Heads of State and Government
for its consideration and adoption on the basis of
the consensus reached during its deliberations on
the issue of representation as reflected in the Report
of Council.
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CM/Dec. 567 (LXXIII)
Decision on the offer of Tunisia to host the World
Summit on Information Society
Council:
1. DECIDES to support the
candidature of the Republic of Tunisia to host the World Summit on Information Society
slated for 2003;
2. INVITES the
African Group in Geneva to initiate the necessary
contacts with the International Telecommunications
Union to enlist the latter’s support for this
candidature.
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CM/Dec.568 (LXXIII)
Decision on African candidatures for positions in
the international system
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report of the
Ministerial Committee on Candidatures;
2. APPROVES the recommendation
contained in the said Report;
3. DECIDES to endorse the following
candidatures:
- The candidature of General Mohamed
Abbas Mansour of Egypt as well as the candidature of Professor Seyoum Gebre Selassie of
Ethiopia for membership of the International Narcotic Control Board (INCB) for the period
2002 to 2007 at the elections to be held at the next session of ECOSOC in New York in May
2001;
- The candidature of Counsellor Mohamed
Amin El Mahdi of Egypt and the candidature of Mr Mahbouli Abderraouf of Tunisia for
membership of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia at the
elections to be held at the United Nations General Assembly Session in March 2001;
4. REQUESTS the African Group in
Geneva to examine the dossiers and, as soon as possible, submit appropriate
recommendations to the Ministerial Committee on the candidature of Mr. Sayed K. El-Masry
of Egypt for membership of the Committee Against Torture during elections to be held at
Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention Against Torture slated for
November 2001.
5. REQUESTS the African Group in New
York to examine the dossiers of, and as soon as possible, make appropriate recommendations
to the Ministerial Committee on the following candidatures:
- the candidatures of Ambassador Nabil
El Araby of Egypt, Mr. Emmanuel Akwei Addo of Ghana and Dr. Ali A. Dawi of Libya for
election and/or re-election to one of the nine (9) seats on the International Law
Commission reserved for the African Group, at the elections to be held during the 56th and
57th Regular Session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2001 and
September 2002, respectively;
- the candidatures of the Republic of
Guinea and the Republic of Angola for the non-permanent seats reserved for Africa on the
United Nations Security Council during elections to be held at the 56th and 57th Regular
Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September 2001 and
September 2002, respectively;
6. DECIDES that in view of the
nature of the posts in contention, for which selection will be based on competence and
individual merits of the candidates, it could not pronounce itself on the candidatures or
Mr. Hatem Kotrane and Mme Atsede Guta, presented respectively by Tunisia and Ethiopia for
membership of the Committee on the Rights of the Child during elections to be held in New
York on 26 February 2001 on the sidelines of the 8th meeting of the States Parties to the
Convention on the Rights of the Child;
7. REQUESTS the Ministerial
Committee on Candidatures to submit to it at its 74th Ordinary Session in Lusaka, Zambia
in July 2001, recommendations on the candidatures referred for consideration by the
African Groups in Geneva and New York respectively;
8. STRESSES
the need for Member States to strictly comply with
the deadlines for submission of their candidatures
to the Ministerial Committee on Candidatures, pursuant
to Article 12 of its Rules of Procedure, and CALLS
on the General Secretariat to ensure that the Committee
is provided with all necessary information, particularly
information on the number of posts under consideration,
the dates of submission of candidatures by Member
States and the status of consultations at the level
of the African Groups in New York and Geneva regarding
African candidatures.
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CM/569 (LXXIII)
Decision on
the candidature of Mr Ablasse Ouedraogo for the post
of Director General of the United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO)
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report of the
Ministerial Committee on Candidatures and particularly the recommendation on the choice of
Mr. Ablassé Ouedraogo as the African candidate for the post of Director General of UNIDO;
2. BELIEVES that the industrial
sector is a key sector for economic and social development of Africa;
3. REAFFIRMS its support to the
United Nations Industrial Development Organization which plays an important role in
enhancing the industrialization efforts of African countries;
4. NOTES that the election to the
post of Director General of UNIDO will take place in the course of the 24th Session of the
Industrial Development Board scheduled to be held in Vienna, Austria, from 19 to 22 June
2001;
5. ALSO TAKES NOTE that since UNIDO
became an independent Organization in June 1985, three Directors General coming from Asia
and Latin America have been elected for two terms each while no single African candidate
has so far occupied the post;
6. FIRMLY BELIEVES that at the next
June 2001 election, a highly qualified African candidate should be considered for the
post;
7. WELCOMES the candidature of Mr.
Ablassé Ouedraogo for the post of Director General of UNIDO and STRONGLY SUPPORTS him as
the sole candidate of Africa;
8. CALLS on all Member States of
UNIDO to support the African candidate in the person of Ablassé Ouedraogo for the post of
Director General of UNIDO;
9. REQUESTS
the Secretary General to take appropriate action in
support of the candidature of Mr. Ablassé Ouedraogo.
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CM/Dec.570 (LXXIII)
Decision on
the Implementation of the World Solidarity Fund
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the statement by
the delegation of Tunisia;
2. RECALLS Decision AHG.Decl.4
(XXXVI) in support of the appeal made by H.E. Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, President of the
Republic of Tunisia, for the establishment of a World Solidarity Fund;
3. REQUESTS Member States to
transmit to the United Nations Secretary General their positive and concrete proposals for
the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund by 30 March 2001, and
4. URGES African
organizations and institutions communicate to the
United Nations Secretary General, their proposals
regarding this issue, in conformity with the set deadline.
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CM/Dec. 571 (LXXIII)
Decision
on the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros
Council:
1. WELCOMES the signing in Moheli,
on 17 February 2001, of the Framework Agreement for Reconciliation in the Comoros, which
testifies to the commitment of all the Comorian Parties to work towards a lasting
resolution of the crisis in their country on the basis of respect for the unity and
territorial integrity of the Archipelago, the return of constitutional legality and an
all-inclusive process;
2. COMMENDS the Comorian Parties,
namely the Government and the political forces supporting it in Moheli and in Grande
Comore, the Anjouanese Party, the opposition and the civil society in the Islands for
their commitment to and determination towards a successful conclusion of the negotiation,
and REQUESTS them to continue to demonstrate the same determination in the process of
implementing the Framework Agreement;
3. EXPRESSES its gratitude to the
countries of the region, the Secretary General of the OAU and his Special Envoy for the
sustained efforts they have deployed towards the resolution of the crisis in the Comoros
and the signing of the Framework Agreement for Reconciliation in the Comoros;
4. WELCOMES the efforts deployed by
the Government of the Comoros towards overcoming the crisis in the country based on OAU
principles and Decision AHG/141 (XXXV);
5. ALSO EXPRESSES its gratitude to
the partners of the OAU, particularly the International Organization of the Francophonie,
the League of Arab States, the European Union, the Indian Ocean Commission and the United
Nations, for their tireless support to the OAU and REQUESTS them to continue to provide
their assistance for the implementation of the Framework Agreement of 17 February 2001;
6. DECIDES, in view of the signing
of the Framework Agreement and the progress made in the search for solution, to
immediately suspend the measures taken by the OAU against the leaders of the Anjouanese
Separatist Movement, it being understood that the measures will be lifted definitively
upon the establishment of the National Union Transitional Government provided for in the
Framework Agreement;
7. REQUESTS the Secretary General to
take all the necessary steps to facilitate the speedy and scrupulous implementation of the
Framework Agreement for Reconciliation in the Comoros, particularly measures relating to
the Framework Agreement Follow-up Mechanism, the drafting and adoption of the
Constitution, arms collection, the reintegration of the youth and the organization of a
Donor’s Conference;
8. APPEALS to
the international community, including the European
Union and the specialised agencies of the United Nations
system, as well as bilateral donors, to give all the
necessary financial assistance for the speedy implementation
of the Framework Agreement.
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CM/Dec. 572 (LXXIII)
Decision
on the situation in the Mano River sub-region
Council:
1. EXPRESS its grave concern over
the deteriorating situation in the Mano River Basin;
2. CONDEMNS the actions of armed
bands, more particularly acts of violence perpetrated against the civilian population and
MAKES AN URGENT APPEAL for the respect of the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on
International Humanitarian Law;
3. EXPRESSES SATISFACTION at the
laudable efforts deployed by the ECOWAS leaders to find a lasting solution to the alarming
situation prevailing in the sub-region;
4. APPEALS to all the concerned
parties to support the ECOWAS initiatives aimed at promoting consultation and co-operation
for peace and stability in the sub-region;
5. EXPRESSES its appreciation to the
people and Government of Guinea for the generous hospitality they have always accorded the
populations of the neighbouring countries in distress and HAILS its commitment to continue
to give asylum to these populations, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the OAU
Convention on Refugees;
6. REITERATES its support for the
efforts exerted by ECOWAS countries and leaders and EXHORTS the Secretary General to
continue to co-operate closely with them in the search for a peaceful and lasting solution
to the crisis in the sub-region;
7. EXPRESSES its support for the
efforts deployed by ECOWAS to find a definitive solution to the conflict in Sierra Leone,
on the basis of the Lome Peace Agreement and the Abuja Ceasefire Agreement of 10 November
2000 signed between the Government of Sierra Leone and the United Revolutionary Front
(RUF);
8. APPEALS to
Member States to contribute troops to enable UNAMSIL
to attain its full staff complement and EXPRESSES
ITS SUPPORT for the Committee of the Parties in Sierra
Leone.
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CM/Dec. 573 (LXXIII)
Decision on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
Council:
1. STRONGLY CONDEMNS the
assassination of President Laurent Desire Kabila, which act was a flagrant violation of
the principles of the OAU and CONVEYS its condolences to his family, the Government and
people of the D.R.C;
2. COMMENDS the commitment by the
President and the Government of the DRC to proceed with national dialogue under the
facilitation of Sir Ketumile Masire, former President of Botswana;
3. FURTHER COMMENDS the commitment
by the Government of Rwanda to redeploy its forces as indicated in its letter of 18
February 2001 to the President of the United Nations Security Council as well as the
commitment by Uganda to immediately reduce by two battalions the strength its forces in
the territory of the DRC;
4. WELCOMES the outcome of the Third
Summit of the Signatories to the Ceasefire Agreement in the DRC held in Lusaka on 15
February 2001 during which the Parties reaffirmed their commitment to the Lusaka
Cease-Fire Agreement, the Kampala Disengagement Plan and the Harare Disengagement and
Redeployment sub-plans and committed themselves to the accelerated implementation of these
important instruments;
5. ALSO WELCOMES the adoption by the
Security Council of Resolution 1341 (2001) of 22 February 2001 following the joint meeting
of the Security Council and members of the Political Committee in New York from 20 to 22
February 2001;
6. URGES the United Nations to take
the necessary steps for a full and speedy deployment of military observers and related
personnel in the DRC as authorized by UN Security Council Resolution 1291 of 24 February
2000 and paragraph 19 of UN Security Council Resolution 1341 (2001) of 22 February 2001;
7. FURTHER WELCOMES the appointment
by the OAU Secretary General, of Brigadier General Njuki Mwaniki of Kenya as Chairman of
the Joint Military Commission (JMC) and URGES all the Parties to lend him the necessary
support;
8. CALLS ON all Member States and on
the International Community to provide political support and financial assistance towards
the peace process in the DRC particularly to sustain the work of the Joint Military
Commission and the Inter-Congolese National Dialogue;
9. REITERATES
its support for the efforts of President Frederick
Chiluba of Zambia, Chairman of the Regional Initiative
and other Leaders and ENCOURAGES them to persevere
in their efforts aimed at finding an early and lasting
solution to the conflict.
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CM/Dec. 574 (LXXIII)
Decision on Refugees
Council:
1. EXPRESSES its grave concern over
the persistent and deteriorating refugee situation in Africa, a catastrophic situation for
which Africans themselves should assume primary responsibility;
2. UNDERSCORES the imperative need
to put an end to this situation by resolutely addressing its causes;
3. EXPRESSES SATISFACTION at the
fielding of OAU evaluation and solidarity missions to Zambia, Sierra Leone, Congo and
Guinea in January/February 2001;
4. EXPRESSES
deserved appreciation for the financial assistance
extended to the countries visited.
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CM/Dec. 575 (LXXIII)
Decision on
the Conference on Security, Development and Cooperation
in Africa (CSSDCA)
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE with appreciation of
the measures taken by the General Secretariat to implement the Declaration adopted by the
Heads of State and Government at their July 2000 Summit on CSSDCA in Lome and URGES the
Secretariat to redouble its efforts in that regard;
2. WELCOMES the offer made by South
Africa to host the meeting of Experts on the development and cooperation calabashes;
3. EMPHASIZES the urgent need to
convene the scheduled meetings on the calabashes of the CSSDCA on development and
cooperation and CALLS on Member States to offer to do so;
4. WELCOMES the pledge by the
Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to contribute the sum of US$500,000 towards
the takeoff of the CSSDCA within the Work Programme of the OAU, and CALLS ON other Member
States to contribute towards this process;
5. EXPRESSES
the hope that other Member States will offer to host
the scheduled meetings on security and stability.
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CM/Dec. 576 (LXXIII)
Decision on natural disasters in Africa
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the declarations
made by the delegations of Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique on the natural calamities
(torrential rains followed by floodings) which recently affected these countries,
destroying infrastructure and resulting in mass movement of the people within and outside
these countries;
2. EXPRESSES its solidarity with
these countries and APPEALS to Member States and the International Community to respond
favourably to the appeal for urgent assistance made by the affected countries;
3. REGRETS the
periodic devastation caused to some OAU Member States
by natural calamities and URGES the OAU Secretary
General, in cooperation with relevant UN and other
agencies, to consider the establishment of an appropriate
mechanism to address the phenomenon.
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CM/Dec. 577 (LXXIII)
Decision on Afro-Arab Co-operation
Council:
1. COMMENDS the efforts deployed by
all Member States particularly by Egypt, Libya, The Sudan and Algeria to revitalise the
Afro-Arab Cooperation;
2. WELCOMES the information provided
by the Foreign Minister of the Sudan regarding the intention of Egypt, Libya and The Sudan
to submit to the next Council of Arab Ministers, in March 2001 in Cairo, specific
proposals aimed at revitalising Afro-Arab Cooperation;
3. FURTHER WELCOMES the statement by
the Algerian Vice- Minister in charge of African Affairs reaffirming the will of his
country to work resolutely towards the reactivation of Afro-Arab Cooperation;
4. WELCOMES WITH SATISFACTION the
proposal by the Republic of Algeria to host the 12th Session of the Standing Commission on
Afro-Arab Cooperation during the first half of April 2001;
5. REQUESTS the General Secretariat
to implement as expeditiously as possible, Council Decisions CM/472 (LXX) and CM/537
(LXXII) and submit to the 74th Ordinary Session of Council a report incorporating, in
particular, a study on document CM/info (LXVII) on Afro-Arab Cooperation presented by
Egypt.
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CM/Dec.578 (LXXIII)
Decision on Somalia
Council:
1. WELCOMES the successful outcome
of the Somali National Conference, the establishment of a Transitional Assembly and the
election of Mr. Abdiquassim Salad Hassan as President of the Transitional Government of
Somalia;
2. EXPRESSES ITS GRATITUDE to
President Ismael Omar Guelleh and the people of Djibouti for their sustained efforts which
made this achievement possible;
3. FURTHER WELCOMES the decision
adopted by the Eighth Summit of IGAD held in Khartoum, the Sudan, in November 2000,
regarding the situation in Somalia as well as the efforts undertaken by H.E. Omar Hassan
El-Bashir, President of the Republic of the Sudan, Current Chairman of IGAD, pursuant to
the above-mentioned decision, to assist and facilitate the Somali national reconciliation
process and the reconstruction efforts in Somalia;
4. ENCOURAGES the Transitional
National Government to pursue the path of dialogue and engage those faction leaders who
were not part of the Arta process to join the reconciliation efforts and CALLS on all
parties to display the necessary political will and disposition in order to bring the
national reconciliation process to a successful conclusion;
5. URGES OAU Member States and the
wider international community to provide the necessary assistance to support the
reconciliation efforts pursued by the Transitional National Government of Somalia;
6. REQUESTS the Secretary General,
working closely with IGAD, the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic
Conference and the wider International Community, to continue to support the Transitional
National Government in its efforts to sustain reconciliation and reconstruction in
Somalia.
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CM/Dec. 579 (LXXIII)
Decision on Women and Gender
Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report of the
Secretary General on the activities relating to women and gender;
2. REQUESTS the Secretary General as
well as Member States, to take all appropriate measures to ensure that women are
appropriately represented in decision making processes in the OAU;
3. FURTHER REQUESTS the Secretary
General to support the consultative process through the African Women’s Committee on
Peace and Development (AWCPD), the Regional Economic Communities, the Economic Commission
for Africa and other key stakeholders so as to mainstream women’s effective
participation and vision within the OAU;
4. ALSO REQUESTS the Secretary
General to present the outcome of the consultations to the 75th Ordinary Session of
Council for consideration.
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CM/Dec.580 (LXXIII)
Decision on Sierra Leone
Council:
1. WELCOMES the signing in Abuja,
Nigeria, on 10 November 2000, of a Ceasefire Agreement between the Government of Sierra
Leone and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under the aegis of ECOWAS and URGES the RUF
to honour its commitments under the Agreement;
2. FURTHER WELCOMES the opening of
highways in the rebel controlled areas and CALLS UPON the RUF to disarm in order to
facilitate the full deployment of UNAMSIL throughout the territory of Sierra Leone. In
this regard, Council APPEALS to countries to contribute troops to enable UNAMSIL to attain
its full complement of UNAMSIL;
3. EXPRESSES support for the work of
the UN Committee on the ban of the illegal trade in diamonds from Sierra Leone;
4. REAFFIRMS that the Lome Peace
Agreement of 7 July 1999 continues to remain the most viable framework for the restoration
of lasting peace in Sierra Leone;
5. REQUESTS the Secretary General
and his Special Envoy to continue to follow closely the situation in Sierra Leone and to
report to Council regularly;
6. REAFFIRMS its support for the
efforts deployed by ECOWAS to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the conflict in
Sierra Leone and ENCOURAGES the Secretary General to continue to work closely with ECOWAS.
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