UNITED NATIONS, June 13 (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council and African
Union Peace and Security Council on Wednesday jointly urged military coup
leaders in Guinea Bissau to give up power and expressed concern at an al
Qaeda threat in Mali, fighting in the Sudans and Somalia piracy.
The two councils, charged with maintaining and promoting peace and security,
met for talks in New York on Wednesday and agreed an eight-page statement
that addressed the top security issues in Africa and strengthening
cooperation between the two bodies.
Military coups in Guinea Bissau and Mali, simmering border clashes between
Sudan and South Sudan, and a bid to stabilize Somalia warranted special
mentions in the statement.
"The members of the UNSC and the AUPSC condemned the recent instances of
unconstitutional change in West Africa and reiterated their commitment to
strengthening democracy, peace and stability on the continent," the
statement said.
They are worried about the threat posed by transnational organized crime,
including illicit weapons and drug trafficking, piracy and armed robbery at
sea, particularly in West Africa and the Sahel region, according to the
statement.
"They further expressed serious concern about the insecurity and rapidly
deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Sahel region, which is further
complicated by the presence of armed groups and terrorist groups and their
activities," it said.
Mali's March 22 military coup triggered the fall of the north of the country
to secular and Islamist rebels, who now control a desert region the size of
France at the heart of the Sahara. The rebel takeover has emboldened al
Qaeda's North Africa wing, and other forces such as Nigerian militants from
Boko Haram.
Just weeks later, Guinea-Bissau soldiers took power on April 12, further
undermining West Africa's fragile democracy gains.
Guinea-Bissau has suffered turmoil from several coups and army uprisings
since independence from Portugal in 1974, but the latest one has also set
back western efforts to combat drugs cartels using the country as a
transshipment point to Europe.
The joint U.N.-African Union statement underlined an "urgent need to
continue to strengthen measures to restore and respect constitutional order,
including a democratic electoral process, and that members of the 'Military
Command' relinquish their position of authority" in Guinea-Bissau.
The two councils welcomed the resumption of talks between Sudan and South
Sudan - which were brought to the brink of war by border clashes in April -
but expressed concern at the "prevailing" situation as well as ongoing
violence in the Sudanese regions of South Kordofan, Blue Nile and Darfur.
The statement said the two councils were worried that some deadlines had
been missed in Somalia's transition to democracy and were "gravely concerned
by the threat that piracy and armed robbery at sea against vessels pose to
the situation in Somalia and other States in the region."
The U.N. Security Council and the AU Peace and Security Council plan to meet
again before July 2013 in Addis Ababa. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols;
editing by Mohammad Zargham)
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Received on Thu Jun 14 2012 - 09:32:40 EDT
