PSC/PR/COMM.(CDLVI) Page 1 COMMUNIQUÉ The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 456th meeting held on 12 September 2014, adopted the following decision on the progress report of the AU High-Level Implementation Panel (AUHIP) for Sudan and South Sudan: Council, 1. Takes note of the progress report of the AUHIP [PSC/PR/2.(CDLVI)], as well as of the introductory remarks by the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security and the Chairperson of the AUHIP. Council also takes note of the statements made by the Special Envoy of the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations (UN) for Sudan and South Sudan and the Joint Special Representative (JSR) for the AU – UN Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and Joint Chief Mediator (JCM). Council further takes note of the statements made by the representatives of the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan, the European Union (EU), the League of Arab States (LAS), Italy, in its capacity as coChair of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Partners Forum, Norway, in its capacity as a member of the Troika on Sudan and South Sudan, as well as France, United Kingdom and the United States of America, as permanent members of the UN Security Council; 2. Recalls its earlier communiqués and press statements on the implementation of the various aspects of the mandate of the AUHIP and other related AU’s efforts, including communiqués PSC/AHG/COMM/2.(CCCXCVII) and PSC/AHG/COMM/1.(CCCLIII), adopted at its 353rd and 397th meetings held in Addis Ababa and in New York, on 25 January and 23 September 2013, respectively; 3. Commends the AUHIP and its members, namely former Presidents Thabo Mbeki, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Pierre Buyoya, as well as the Support Team, for their persistent engagement with, and support to, the efforts of the Governments and peoples of Sudan and South Sudan. Council also commends the Chair of IGAD, Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn of Ethiopia, for his continued engagement and support to the efforts of the AUHIP and the promotion of peace, security and stability in the Horn of Africa region; 4. Expresses appreciation for the important role of the JSR/JCM, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General, Haile Menkerios, and the Special Envoy of IGAD, Lissane Yohannes, in the overall efforts aimed at achieving peace, security and stability in the region, and notes with satisfaction the exemplary cooperation between them and the AUHIP. Council also expresses appreciation for the support and assistance being extended to the AUHIP by the AU bilateral and multilateral partners; 5. Reiterates its appreciation to President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad for his continued contribution to the peace efforts in Darfur, including the convening, in Umdjaras, Chad, from 26 to 30 March 2014, of the Forum for Reconciliation in Darfur for the purpose of encouraging all concerned groups to join the peace process; 6. Welcomes the continued engagement of the State of Qatar in the search for peace in Darfur, in particular its significant financial contribution for the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) and the Darfur Development Strategy (DDS), thus assisting in alleviating the suffering of the population of Darfur, including the internally displaced persons (IDPs);