PSC/PR/COMM(DCLVIII) Page 1 COMMUNIQUÉ The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 668th meeting held on 20 March 2017, adopted the following decision on the situation in Western Sahara: Council, 1. Takes note of the report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in Western Sahara [PSC/PR/2(CDXCVI)], as well as of the update provided by the AU Special Representative for Western Sahara, Ambassador Tadesse Yilma. Council also takes note of the statement made by the delegation of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), led by His Excellency Mohamed Salem Ould Salek, Minister of Foreign Affairs , as well as by the United Nations (UN); 2. Recalls decision EX.CL/Dec.758 (XXII) adopted by the 22nd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council held in Addis Ababa, from 24 to 25 January 2013, requesting the Commission to take all necessary measures for the organization of a referendum for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara, in compliance with the relevant decisions of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the UN, as well as decision EX.CL/Dec.773(XXIII) adopted by the 23rd Ordinary Session of the Executive Council held in Addis Ababa, from 19 to 23 May 2013, reiterating OAU/AU’s earlier decisions and pronouncements on the situation in Western Sahara and requesting the Chairperson of the Commission to pursue her efforts, including further consultations with the Parties, as well as continued interaction with the UN and other relevant international stakeholders; 3. Further recalls decision Assembly/AU/Dec.559(XXIV) adopted by the 24th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, held in Addis Ababa, from 30 to 31 January 2015, reiterating UN Security Council calls to the Parties to continue negotiations without preconditions and in good faith, expressing AU’s full support to the efforts of the UN Personal Envoy, welcoming the steps taken by the Chairperson of the Commission to follow up on the relevant decision of the Executive Council and requesting her to pursue her efforts, in order to mobilize the necessary support for the UN-led process; 4. Also recalls decision Assembly/AU/629 (XXVIII) adopted by the 28th Ordinary Session of the Heads of State and Government held in Addis Ababa, from 30 to 31 January 2017, in which the Assembly expressed its deep concern over the current impasse in the peace process in Western Sahara, stressed the urgent need for renewed efforts to facilitate an early resolution of the conflict and reiterated its call to the UN General Assembly to determine a date for the holding of the selfdetermination referendum for the people of Western Sahara and protect the integrity of the Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory from any act which may undermine it. Council underlines other relevant provisions of the Assembly’s decision relating to urging the UN Security Council to fully assume its responsibilities in restoring the full functionality of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), as it is indispensable for overseeing the ceasefire and organizing the self-determination referendum in Western Sahara, as well as in addressing the issues of the respect of human rights and the illegal exploration and exploitation of the Territory’s natural resources, particularly in line with the important judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union issued on 21 December 2016, on the arrangement between the EU and Morocco signed in 2012, on the mutual liberalization of the trade in agricultural and fisheries products;