PSC/PR/BR(DCCXI) Page 1 PRESS STATEMENT The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 711th meeting, held on 22 August 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, received a briefing on the implementation of the communique of the 455th meeting of the PSC on the prevention and combating of terrorism and violent extremism in Africa, held in Nairobi, Kenya on September 2014. Council welcomed the briefings made by the AU Commission and the Committee for Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) on the efforts deployed in the implementation of the provisions of 455th PSC communique on the prevention and combating of terrorism and violent extremism in Africa. Council recalled its previous communiques and press statements on terrorism and violent extremism, particularly communiqué PSC/AHG/COMM.(CDLV) on terrorism and violent extremism in Africa, adopted at its 455th meeting held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 2 September 2015, at the level of Heads of State and Government. Council commended the efforts deployed by the AU Commission, with the support of the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), CISSA and other organs of the Union, as well as Member States and partners in implementing the provisions of the 455th PSC communique. Council noted that, despite the commendable progress made in implementing the provisions of the 455th PSC communique in combating terrorism and violent extremism at national, continental and international levels, terrorism continues to spread geographically, with extreme consequences in Africa. Council reiterated its deep concern over the increasing capacity of terrorist organizations to recruit new members, including Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs) and to finance their activities through a variety of means linked to transnational organized crime, such as piracy, kidnap-for-ransom (KFR), drug and human trafficking, selling of antiquities, and illegal exploitation and selling of natural resources. In this regard, Council appealed to all Member States to establish Financial Intelligence Units in their national systems and appropriate judicial systems and capacities to address the problem of money laundering and to curb terrorist financing. Council urged Member States to submit their annual reports pursuant to the provisions of the 2004 Protocol on the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism in Africa to enable the Commission to accurately assess progress in combating terrorism and identify challenges and gaps in the implementation of the provisions of the 455th PSC communiqué. Council emphasized the need for Member States to address the root causes and the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and radicalization. Council underscored the need to promote community engagement and socio-economic development to tackle the issues related to unemployment, poverty, political oppression, human rights violations, social and economic exclusion, which are some of the conditions which drive recruitment into terrorism and violent extremism, especially among the youth.