region on the Comoros, Cape Town, South Africa
19 June 2007
1. The Ministerial Committee of the countries of the region on the Comoros
met today, 19 June 2007, in Cape Town, South Africa, to discuss the situation
in the Archipelago. The meeting was chaired by the Foreign Minister of the
Republic of South Africa, in her capacity as the representative of the country
co-ordinating the regional efforts on the Comoros and attended by Ministers and
other heads of delegation from Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique, Seychelles,
Mauritius and Madagascar.
2. The meeting was briefed on the latest developments of the situation in
the Comoros by the African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security and
the Special Envoy of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for the Comoros. The
meeting was also briefed by a Comorian delegation led by the Vice-President of
the Union of the Comoros, which requested the AU to provide urgent assistance
to the Comorian Government, to enable it overcome the current crisis in the
Archipelago and to enhance the long-term capacity of the institutions of the
Union.
3. The meeting expressed its deep concern at the prevailing situation in
Anjouan, which has the potential of seriously undermining the significant
progress achieved so far in the reconciliation process in the Comoros. The
meeting strongly condemned the decision of the Anjouanese authorities to
organise the first round of the election of the President of the Island on 10
June 2007, in spite of the decree of the President of the Union postponing the
election, as the conditions on the ground were not conducive to the holding of
free, fair and transparent elections, and the decision adopted by the AU Peace
and Security Council (PSC) on 9 June 2007.
4. The meeting reiterated the position of the PSC rejecting the outcome of
the "election" in Anjouan and called on the international community to do the
same. The meeting also took note of the ruling of the Constitutional Court of
18 June 2007 declaring that the electoral activities for the presidential
election in the Autonomous Island of Anjouan are a non event and instructing
the relevant authorities to invite the voters to participate in the election of
the President of the autonomous Island of Anjouan. Consequently, the meeting
considered that the purported installation of Colonel Mohamed Bacar as
"President" of Anjouan and all subsequent acts by the Anjouanese authorities
are null and void.
In view of the above and based on the ruling of the Constitutional Court,
the meeting agreed that effective measures should be taken to bring the crisis
in the Comoros to a definite end, in line with the arrangements agreed upon by
the Comorian parties as stipulated in the Fomboni Framework Agreement of
February 2001 and the Beit Salaam Agreement on the Transitional Arrangements in
the Comoros of December 2003, as well as the Constitution of the Union.
The meeting demanded that the Anjouanese authorities take, immediately and
unconditionally, the following measures:
* to comply with the ruling of the Constitutional Court and to unambiguously
acknowledge that the "election" organised in Anjouan on 10 June 2007 is null
and void
* to facilitate the organisation in Anjouan of the first round of the election
of the President of the Island at a date to be agreed upon by all stakeholders,
in accordance with the constitution and relevant electoral legislation and to
create conditions for the holding of free, fair and transparent elections
* to allow the African Union Electoral and Security Assistance Mission to the
Comoros (MAES) to deploy in Anjouan, to provide security for the holding of
free, fair and transparent elections in Anjouan. The Anjouanese gendarmerie
will be cantoned and will therefore not be involved in the monitoring of the
electoral process
* to extend the necessary co-operation to MAES to enable it to prepare plans
for the disarmament of the Anjouanese gendarmerie and integration of its
elements into the Comorian Army, as well as assist in the establishment of an
internal security force in conformity with the Constitution of the Union under
the supervision of the AU
* to commit themselves to, and create the necessary conditions for the
restoration of the authority of the Union in Anjouan.
5. The meeting agreed that, in the event that the above demands are not met
by the Anjouanese authorities, the PSC should meet to take all necessary
measures, including revising the mandate of MAES and increasing its strength to
achieve the above objectives and to ensure the full implementation of the
institutional framework provided for by the Constitution of the Union of the
Comoros. In this respect, the meeting recalled that in its communique of 9 June
2007, the PSC reiterated its determination to take all necessary steps to
assist in the effective establishment of the new institutional framework of the
Comoros, including the restoration of the authority of the Government of the
Union in Anjouan.
6. The meeting stressed that issues of governance, including the
inadequacies of the current constitutional arrangements and capacity building
are among the most serious challenges facing the Comoros and that there is need
to address them effectively.
7. The meeting reiterated the commitment of the countries of the region to
support the people of the Comoros in their endeavour to promote reconciliation
and work towards sustainable development.
8. The meeting decided to dispatch a ministerial delegation to the Comoros
to engage the Comorian authorities on all the issues referred to above.
9. The meeting commended South Africa for its efforts and tremendous
contribution to the search for a lasting solution to the crisis in the Comoros,
as well as to the other countries of the region for their commitment. It also
expressed appreciation to all the countries that contributed police and
military personnel to MAES, including South Africa, Tanzania, Sudan and
Senegal, as well as to Mauritius and Seychelles for their contribution within
the framework of the Indian Ocean Commission. The meeting commended MAES for
its work and contribution to the smooth conduct of the 1st round of the
election.
10. The meeting called on all AU partners, including the League of Arab
States, the European Union, the United Nations and the bilateral partners to
fully support the AU efforts and the outcome of the present meeting.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
19 June 2007
