New AU Peace and Security Council Members elected

(January 30, 2008, Addis Ababa) Ten countries have been elected as Members of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union yesterday at the end of the 12th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of AU here at the headquarters of the African Union Commission, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

According to an AU press release, drawn from the five regions of the continent, the newly appointed member countries of the PSC are: Burundi and Chad (Central Africa), Rwanda and Uganda (Eastern Africa), Tunisia (Northern Africa), Swaziland and Zambia (Southern Africa) as well as Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali (Western Africa).

The election took place within the framework of the 10th Ordinary Session of the African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government billed for 31st January to 2nd February 2008 in Addis Ababa.

In a related development Oxfam, Femmes Africa Solidarite (FAS) and International Refugee Rights Initiative (IRRI) called on the new members of the African Union´s Peace and Security Council to allow people directly affected by conflict to address them.

"The council in its five years of existence has performed an important and difficult role in dealing with Africa´s numerous conflicts. The new council must prioritise the protection of the protection of civilians and in particular, women and girls..." said Bineta Diop of FAS, according to a joint press statement by Oxfam, FAS and IRRI.

Said Desire Assogbavi of Oxfam said, "The Peace and Security Council should now improve its ways of working, especially in its relations with non-state actors."

"It is unacceptable that in its five years of existence, the Peace and Security Council has denied access to those directly affected by the conflict and to civil society organizations." Said Dismas Nkunda of IRRI said.

"This is precisely why the protocol that established the council allows for formal consultation with non-state actors." Nkunda concluded.


January 2008©Omer Redi