PSC/PR/COMM.(CDXXIII) Page 1 COMMUNIQUE The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 423rd meeting held on 10 March 2014, adopted the following decision on the situation in Sudan: Council, 1. Takes note of the briefing made by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) and the statement made by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Sudan. Council also takes note of the statements made by Rwanda, France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America in their capacity as members of United Nations (UN) Security Council, as well as by the Representatives of the UN and the European Union; 2. Recalls its earlier communiqués and press statements requesting the Sudanese Parties to the conflict in the “Two Areas” of Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states in the Republic of Sudan, namely the Government of Sudan (GoS) and the Sudan People’s Liberation MovementNorth (SPLMN) to seek a peaceful resolution of the conflict between them, under the facilitation of the AUHIP and the Chairperson of the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development (IGAD); 3. Further recalls the UN Security Council resolution 2046 (2012), which endorsed the Roadmap adopted by Council on 24 April 2012, and commends the UN, in particular its Special Envoy, Haile Menkerios, as well as other bilateral and multilateral partners, for their continued support to the AU-led efforts; 4. Reiterates its continuing concern with the acute humanitarian crisis in the Two Areas, which is causing loss of life among innocent civilians, and renews its call upon the Parties to facilitate immediate provision of unhindered humanitarian assistance to the war-affected civilian population, in accordance with the spirit of the Tripartite Agreement, as proposed by the AUHIP, and in the context of a cessation of hostilities; 5. Reiterates its firm conviction that there can be no military solution to the conflict in the Two Areas, and that there is no alternative to the Parties than engaging in direct negotiations towards a comprehensive political settlement; 6. Re-emphasizes the urgency of stopping the war and giving a chance to dialogue to resolve the deep-rooted problems of Sudan; recognizes that an end to armed conflict is the overwhelming demand of the people of Sudan and to this end, welcomes the Draft Agreement of 18 February 2014, as proposed by the AUHIP, which it considers as an appropriate framework to serve as a basis for negotiating a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Two Areas; 7. Notes the Government of Sudan’s response to the AUHIP’s proposed Draft Framework Agreement of 18 February 2014 and encourages the SPLM-N to respond in accordance with the request made by the AUHIP. Council further encourages the two Parties to continue the