The African Union High-Level Delegation to theGulf countries concludes the last leg of its vist in Abu Dhabi

The African Union (AU) high-level delegation visiting member countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) concluded the last leg of its consultations, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), yesterday 25 November 2015. The delegation was led by the Commissioner for Peace and Security, Ambassador Smail Chergui, and included former President Pierre Buyoya, AU High Representative for Mali and the Sahel and Head of the AU Mission for Mali and the Sahel (MISAHEL), Ambassador Francisco Madeira, Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and Ambassador Abdelhamid Bouzaher, Head of the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the League of Arab States.

In Abu Dhabi, the AU delegation held consultations with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, and the Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, Sheikh Nahayan bin Mubarak Al-Nahayan. The consultations focused on the efforts being made by the AU and its Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution to promote lasting peace, security and stability on the Continent. In this respect, the situations obtaining in Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Mali and modalities for enhanced support to the ongoing peace efforts in these countries were discussed.

The two sides also exchanged views on the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism. They expressed their determination to work together to more effectively address this threat, including through sharing of experiences on counter-radicalization and de-radicalization. The AU delegation seized the opportunity to brief its UAE interlocutors on the implementation of the AU counter-terrorism agenda, in particular the regional security initiatives currently under way in East and West Africa, through the Djibouti Process on the Enhancement of Security Cooperation in the East Africa region and the Nouakchott Process on the Enhancement of Security Cooperation and the Operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture in the Sahelo-Saharan region, respectively.

The two sides agreed to expedite the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the AU and the UAE in the area of peace and security. At the request of the AU delegation, the UAE pledged to consider the possibility of establishing a peace facility in order to contribute to the sustainable, predictable and flexible funding of the African Peace and Security Agenda.