COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL The Peace and Security Council meeting in its Second Session, on 25 March 2004, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to consider the situation in Burundi, with particular reference to the mandate of the African Mission in Burundi (AMIB); 1. Recalls decision Central Organ/MEC/AMB/Comm. (XCI), adopted by the 91st Ordinary Session of the Central Organ of the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution at Ambassadorial level held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 2 April 2003, which mandated the deployment of the African Mission in Burundi (AMIB) for an initial period of one year subject to renewal and pending the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force to be mandated by the UN Security Council, as envisaged in the Ceasefire Agreements of 7 October and 2 December 2002; 2. Welcomes the significant progress made in the search for lasting peace and reconciliation in Burundi and notes with satisfaction the conclusion of the Pretoria Protocols of 8 October and 2 November 2003, as endorsed by the 20th Regional Summit on Burundi held in Dar-es-Salaam on 16 November 2003, as well as the marked improvement in the security situation in the country; 3. Considers that with these developments, a conducive environment has now been created for the deployment of a UN peacekeeping mission, as envisaged in the Ceasefire Agreements entered into by the Burundian parties; 4. Pays tribute to the Leaders of the Region including in particular, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and El-Hadj Omar Bongo Odimba, President of the Gabonese Republic, for promoting the regional peace initiative in Burundi. Further pays tribute to the Deputy President of South Africa, Mr. Jacob Zuma, for his tireless efforts to facilitate a peaceful and negotiated settlement of the conflict in Burundi; 5. Commends the crucial role played by the African Mission in Burundi (AMIB) in the consolidation of the peace and reconciliation process, inspite of the severe financial and logistics constraints facing the Mission; 6. Expresses its profound gratitude to the Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) South Africa, Ethiopia and Mozambique – and to the countries providing military observers (Burkina Faso, Gabon, Mali, Togo and Tunisia), for their commitment and the sacrifices they have made to ensure the success of the Mission; 7. Further expresses its appreciation to Italy, Germany, the UK and Senegal for the financial contributions and support extended to AMIB, as well as to the EU, Belgium and Ireland that had made pledges of financial support to the Mission; 1