PSC/PR/BR.1(DLX) Page 1 PRESS STATEMENT The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 560 th meeting held on 26 November 2015, was briefed by the Commission on the ongoing efforts to neutralize the Boko Haram terrorist group, including the operationalization of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) established by the Member States of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and Benin. Council also listened to the statements made by the representative of Niger, as Chair of the LCBC, as well as by those of Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria. Council took note of the statements made by France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council, as well as by the UN Secretariat and the European Union (EU). Council recalled its earlier pronouncements on the Boko Haram terrorist group, th including press statement PSC/PR/BR(DXVIII) adopted at its 518 meeting, held on 25 June 2015. Council acknowledged the progress made on the ground in the fight against the Boko Haram terrorist group. In this respect, Council noted the recovery of areas that had previously been under the control of this group and other related operations to eliminate the threat it poses. Council nonetheless expressed concern at the continued ability of the Boko Haram terrorist group to carry out attacks against civilians, as well as against military and security forces, and to destroy infrastructure and livelihoods, as illustrated by the incidents that have taken place in various locations in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. Council strongly condemned these cowardly attacks and expressed, once again, the AU’s solidarity with the affected countries and their Governments. Council commended the LCBC Member States and Benin for their continued efforts to fully operationalize the MNJTF. In this respect, Council welcomed the conclusions of the Special Session of the Committee of Chiefs of Defense Staff of the LCBC Member States and Benin held in Ndjamena, Chad, on 20 August 2015, including the effective deployment of the pledged contingents in the Area of Responsibility, transfer of authority to the MNJTF Command, and continued staffing of the MNJTF Headquarters. Council also noted with satisfaction the other steps taken fully to operationalize the MNJTF, including the Conference of the Communication and Signal Directors of the LCBC Member States and Benin and the inaugural meeting between the MNJTF Force Commander and Sector Commanders, held in Ndjamena, on 5 and 13 November 2015, respectively. Council urged the LCBC Member States and Benin to persevere in their efforts and to enhance their cooperation within the framework of the MNJTF, bearing in mind the relevant provisions of the strategic Concept of Operations (CONOPS) adopted in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on 7 February 2015, as endorsed by Council in communiqué PSC/PR/COMM.(CDLXXXIX)-Rev.1, adopted at its 489th meeting held on 3 March 2015, and by the Extraordinary Summit of the LCBC Member States and Benin, held in Abuja on 11 June 2015.