III Africa
| Published date | 01 March 2005 |
| DOI | 10.1177/016934410502300107 |
| Author | Rachel Murray |
| Date | 01 March 2005 |
| Subject Matter | Part B: Human Rights News |
III AFRICA
RACHEL MURRAY
1. AFRICAN UNION (AU) AND NEPAD
A second High Level Intergovernmental Meeting on the Prevention and Combating
of Terrorism in Africa was held from 13-14 October 2004. It welcomed the launch of
the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism,
1
which is a structure of
the Commission of the AU and the Peace and Security Council (PSC). It also urged
States to ratify the OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of
Terrorism, welcoming the Protocol to the Convention and urging the Commission
of the AU to consult with Regional Economic Communities on its implementation.
With respect to the Plan of Action on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism,
the meeting called on the Commission of the AU to draw up a roadmap setting out a
timetable and priorities for its implementation, and reaffirmed the need to establish
under the PSC a list of persons, groups and others involved in terrorist acts. It also
reiterated the importance of regional cooperation and international partnerships in
combating terrorism.
2
The PSC met for its 17
th
session on 20 October 2004. It adopted a Communique´
on the Darfur Region of Sudan in which it decided that the African Mission in Sudan
should be deployed for one year to monitor and observe compliance with the
Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement of April 2004, to assist in confidence building
and to contribute to a secure environment for the delivery of humanitarian relief.
3
It
further urged the Government to take steps to end attacks against civilians and to
bring all those who violated human rights to justice.
At its 19
th
meeting on 8 November the PSC discussed the situation in Coˆte
d’Ivoire, noting its concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation and calling
for a political solution to the conflict.
4
At the following meeting the PSC looked
again at the situation in Coˆte d’Ivoire and also the relationship between the UN
Security Council and the AU and considered further ways in which this could be
strengthened. It also discussed its mission in Burundi.
5
The African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child met at its 5
th
session from 8-12 November 2004.
An International Conference on Peace, Security, Democracy and Development
in the Great Lakes Region was held in Dar-Es-Salaam from 19-20 November 2004. In
the resulting Declaration, the summit noted concern with violations of human rights
of women, children, elderly, disabled and youth as a result of conflicts. States
Netherlands Quarterly of Human Rights, Vol. 23/1 (2005) 127
1
The Centre was launched on 13 October 2004.
2
Mtg/HLIG/Conv.Terror/Decl. (II) Rev.2.
3
Communique´ of the Seventeenth Meeting of the Peace and Security Council, PSC/PR/
Comm.(XVII).
4
Communique´ of the Nineteenth Meeting of the Peace and Security Council, PSC/PR/Comm.
(2004) (XIX).
5
Communique´ of the Twentieth Meeting of the Peace and Security Council, PSC/PR/Comm. (XX).
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