PSC/PR/Comm(XCVII) Page 1 COMMUNIQUE OF THE 97TH MEETING OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL ON THE SITUATION IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO The Peace and Security Council of the African Union, at its 97th meeting held on 25 October 2007, adopted the following communiqué on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): Council, 1. Takes note of the Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo [PSC/PR/2(XCVII)], as well as the statement by His Excellency Mr. Joseph Pango, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Congo; 2. Commends the establishment of the institutions as provided for in the Constitution of the Third Republic in DRC and encourages them to fully play their role in order to consolidate the democratic process; 3. Welcomes, in this respect, the firm commitments made by the President of the Republic on the occasion of his swearing-in on 6 December 2006, and invites all political actors, as well as civil society organizations, to support and strengthen the momentum with a view to making irreversible the peace and national reconciliation process and to creating conducive conditions for post-conflict reconstruction; 4. Reiterates its gratitude to the United Nations and to the other AU Partners involved in the peace process in DRC for their contribution to the efforts which led to the successful conclusion of the transition in DRC; 5. Expresses its deep concern over the persistence of insecurity in the south and north Kivu and condemns the actions of the dissident General Laurent Nkunda and demands him and his forces of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) to join the assembly points, without delay, for integration into the process of the formation of the Congolese national army; 6. Expresses its deep concern over the continued presence of exFAR/Interahamwé, the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) and other armed groups in the East of the DRC, strongly condemns their destabilizing activities in the region, as well as the terrible acts they commit against the civilian population. Council requests the countries of the Region to continue working together to address effectively the problem of the armed groups in eastern DRC, including their disarmament, their neutralization and their return to their country; 7. Supports fully the efforts deployed by the Government of the DRC with the support of the MONUC, aiming at restoring order and tranquility on the entire national territory of the DRC, particularly in South and North Kivu provinces; 8. Encourages the neighbouring countries of the DRC to continue playing a positive role in the definitive pacification of that country;