PSC/AHG/COMM/2.(CCCLIII) Page 1 COMMUNIQUÉ The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 353 rd meeting held at the level of Heads of State and Government, on 25 January 2013, adopted the following decision on the situation in the Republic of Mali. Council, 1. Takes note of the report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the evolution of the situation in Mali [PSC/AHG/3(CCCLIII)], as well as of the briefings made by the AU Commissioner for Peace and Security and the AU High Representative for Mali and Sahel. Council also takes note of the statements made by the representatives of Mali, the Economic Community of West African States – ECOWAS (Mediation and Commission), the core countries, namely, Algeria, Mauritania and Niger, as well as by the United Nations and the European Union (EU); 2. Recalls its earlier communiqués on the situation in Mali; 3. Reaffirms AU’s commitment to the national unity and territorial integrity of the Republic of Mali, as well as Africa’s determination to spare no efforts to ensure their safeguard. Council reaffirms, once again, AU’s total rejection of terrorism and transnational crime, as well as of recourse to armed rebellion to further political claims; 4. Reiterates its profound concern at the serious threat that the presence, in the northern part of Mali, of different armed terrorist and criminal groups, such as Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar Din and the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), pose to regional and international peace and security, as well as its firm condemnation of the abuses committed by these groups against the civilian population and the destruction of monuments of historical, cultural and religious significance. Council also notes with great concern the continued deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the region; 5. Reiterates AU’s strong condemnation of the attacks perpetrated by an alliance of armed terrorist and criminal groups against the city of Konna, in the Mopti area, on 10 January 2013. In this respect, Council expresses satisfaction at the fact that the prompt and efficient assistance extended by France at the request of the Malian authorities, within the framework of Security Council resolution 2085 (2012) and article 51 of the United Nations Charter, has made it possible to block the military offensive launched by these groups and to commence regaining control over the areas they occupy. Council also welcomes the decision by several Member States, both from and outside the region, to contribute troops as part of the African-led Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA). Council reiterates its appreciation to ECOWAS and its current Chairman, President Alassane Dramane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, for all the initiatives taken to address the sudden deterioration of the situation, and endorses the communiqué of the ECOWAS Extra-ordinary Summit held in Abidjan, on 19 January 2013. Council commends the immediate neighbors of Mali for the measures they have taken to strengthen the monitoring of their borders, in order to prevent any movement of combatants and flow of supplies in favor of the armed rebel, terrorist and criminal groups;