Highlights of decisions of the PSC in November 2015

Looking back: Last month the PSC discussed the situations in Burundi, Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bissau

Published on 10 December 2015 in PSC Insights

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PSC Report

In November the Peace and Security Council (PSC) once again discussed the crisis in Burundi and asked the African Union Commission (AUC) to increase the number of military experts and human rights observers in the country. Burundi, however, still has not signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that regulates the activities of these observers. The PSC commended the transition to constitutional rule in Burkina Faso and decided to keep a close eye on the situation in Guinea-Bissau.

AU Commission to send experts to Dadaab

On 3 November the PSC discussed the situation of refugees in the Dadaab camps in Kenya. Kenya has witnessed a series of high-profile terror attacks on its soil in the past couple of years. The frequency and magnitude of the attacks by the Somali Islamic militant group al-Shabaab have led to serious debates over the fate of Somali migrants in Kenya and the future of the Dadaab refugee camps in the north-eastern part of the country. Kenya claims that Dadaab serves as a base for planning and launching attacks on Kenya, and has called for the repatriation of refugees to liberated areas in Somalia. Kenya also announced its plans to relocate the camps.

Kenya has called for the repatriation of refugees to liberated areas in Somalia

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The meeting requested the AUC to immediately send a ‘comprehensive technical assessment mission’ to the camps. The mission, which will include representatives from the AUC, Kenya, Somalia and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, is expected to cover both security and humanitarian concerns and come up with a recommendation that strikes a balance between the two. The meeting requested the AUC to submit the report of the mission, with recommendations on the way forward, to the PSC in January 2016.

Positive developments in Burkina Faso

On 10 November 2015, Burkina Faso featured on the agenda of the PSC. The meeting commended the positive developments in the country and encouraged efforts to complete the transition to a constitutional rule. The meeting requested the AUC to immediately deploy an election observation mission in Burkina Faso, ahead of elections on 29 November. It also asked the AUC to organise a meeting of the International Support and Follow-up Group to the Transition in Burkina Faso (GISAT-BF) to examine post-election support for the consolidation of democracy and stability in the country. The PSC requested the AUC to prepare the meeting, which will take place in Ouagadougou, in consultation with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations (UN).

The situation in Guinea-Bissau was discussed by the PSC on the same day. The meeting welcomed the positive developments in the country and commended the appointment of the new prime minister and cabinet. The meeting also endorsed the decision taken by the Extraordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, held in Dakar on 12 September 2015, to extend the mandate of the ECOWAS Security Mission in Guinea-Bissau (ECOMIB) to June 2016. The PSC also welcomed the European Union’s decision to provide financial support to ECOMIB. It requested the AUC to continue to closely monitor developments in Guinea-Bissau and provide regular updates to the council.

Burundi again on the agenda

The PSC once again discussed Burundi on 13 November 2015. The meeting welcomed both the growing international involvement in efforts to resolve the crisis in Burundi and UN Resolution 2248 (2015) by the UN Security Council on 12 November. It reflects the PSC’s decision to impose targeted sanctions against Burundian stakeholders impeding the peace process.

It reflects the PSC's decision to impose sanctions against Burundian stakeholders

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While praising the current mediation efforts, the council requested the chairperson of the AUC to urgently liaise with the Ugandan authorities to look for ways the AU could enhance its role in the mediation process. The meeting recognised the ongoing efforts by the AUC to compile a list of individuals and entities to be sanctioned, in accordance with the PSC’s decision of 17 October.The PSC asked the AUC to regularly update the list with individuals ‘who are impeding the negotiation process, committing acts of violence and violations of human rights and making inflammatory statements’. The PSC also requested the AUC to ensure the deployment of 100 human rights observers and military experts by 15 December 2015 and to develop a model agreement for the deployment of military and civilian personnel. The meeting decided that the model agreement would apply provisionally if no agreement was reached with Burundi on the draft MoU within 15 days of the adoption of the PSC’s communiqué of 13 November.

The council also requested the AUC to identify additional measures that could be taken on the basis of the report expected to be submitted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. The meeting asked the chairperson of the AUC to send the decisions of the meeting on Burundi to all AU member states, the UN secretary-general, the UN Security Council and the AU’s bilateral and multilateral partners.

Open session on the effects of drought

Tens of millions of people living in Africa are currently affected by a serious drought, which is threatening their livelihoods and the social stability of the communities they live in. On 19 November the PSC had an open session entitled ‘The impact of EI Nino on peace, security and stability in Africa and the humanitarian consequences’. The meeting was held on the recommendation of the Abuja Retreat of the PSC with the Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, from 14–16 September 2015 The retreat highlighted the importance of broadening the Continental Early Warning System to include ‘non-traditional and non-military threats to the continental peace, security and stability’. Acknowledging the complex link between peace and security, development and climate change, the meeting identified El Nino as one of the ‘major and recurrent non-military threats to the sustainable development, peace, security and stability of the African continent’.