Addis Ababa, 7 April, 2012: The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Jean Ping, welcomes the signing on 6 April 2012 between the perpetrators of the Coup d’etat in Mali and the Mediator of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), of a Framework Agreement providing for a series of steps for the restoration of constitutional order in Mali.

The Chairperson of the Commission avails himself of this opportunity to pay tribute to the current President of the Authority of ECOWAS, President Alassane Drmane Ouattara of Cote d'Ivoire, as well as to the ECOWAS Mediator, President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, for their tireless efforts which led to this significant breakthrough. He also welcomes the persevering action of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional cooperation of Burkina Faso, Yipènè Djibrill Bassolé, Representative of the Mediator.

 

The Chairperson of the Commission urges all Malian stakeholders concerned to implement, in good faith, the just-concluded Agreement, to enable their country overcome the daunting challenges facing it, in order to restore its democratic process as well as the authority of the State over its entire national territory.

 

The Chairperson of the Commission reiterates the commitment of the AU to continue to endeavour for the strengthening of the collective action of Africa as well as the mobilisation of the international community on its side in order to ensure the success of the process of the actual restoration of Constitutional order in Mali and the protection of the national unity and territorial integrity of the country. In this regard, the Peace and Security Council will soon be apprised of these developments in the situation in order to take appropriate measures.

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