PSC/MIN/COMM.(CCCXIV)   Page  1           COMMUNIQUE     The  Peace  and  Security  Council  of  the  African  Union  (AU),  at  its  314th  meeting  held  at   the  ministerial  level  in  Bamako,  Mali,  on  20  March  2012,  adopted  the  following  decision  on   the  situation  in  the  northern  part  of  Mali:     Council,     1. Takes  note  of  the  report  of  the  Chairperson  of  the  Commission  on  the  situation  in   the  Sahel  region,  in  particular  the  paragraphs  on  the  situation  in  the  northern  part  of  Mali   [PSC/MIN/3.(CCCXIV)];       2. Expresses   its   deep   concern   about   the   situation   created   by   the   attacks   that   the   rebel   elements   of   the   Mouvement   national   pour   la   Libération   de   l’Azawad   –   MNLA   (National   Movement   for   the   Liberation   of   Azawad)   and   other   rebel   groups,   including   major   displacement   of   people   within   Mali   and   towards   the   neighboring   countries.   Council   stresses   the   seriousness   of   the   threats   that   this   new   crisis   poses   for   peace,   security   and   stability  in  Mali  and  in  the  region  as  a  whole,  particularly  in  view  of  the  overall  fragility  of   the   situation,   which   is   marked   by   the   proliferation   of   all   types   of   arms,   terrorism   and   transnational  organized  crime;       3. Reaffirms  the  relevant  provisions  of  decision  Assembly/AU/Dec.408  (XVIII),  adopted   by   the   18th   Ordinary   Session   of   the   Assembly   of   the   Union,   held   in   Addis   Ababa,   on   29   and   30  January  2012,  as  well  as  those  of  the  final  communiqué  of  the  40th  Ordinary  Session  of   the   Authority   of   Heads   of   State   and   Government   of   the   Economic   Community   of   West   African   States   (ECOWAS).   Council   welcomes   the   press   releases   on   the   situation   in   the   northern  part  of  Mali  issued  by  the  Chairperson  of  the  AU  Commission,  on  18  January  and   12  March  2012,  as  well  as  by  the  President  of  the  ECOWAS  Commission,  on  19  March  2012;       4. Further   reaffirms   its   unwavering   commitment   to   the   respect   of   the   national   unity,   territorial  integrity  and  sovereignty  of  Mali  and  stresses  the  determination  of  the  AU  and   its  Member  States  to  guard  against  their  violation.  Council  expresses  the  solidarity  of  Africa   with  the  people  and  Government  of  Mali,  as  well  as  its  support  to  their  efforts  towards  the   speedy  restoration  of  normalcy  in  the  areas  affected  by  the  conflict;     5. Stresses  the  rejection  by  the  AU  of  the  recourse  to  armed  rebellion  in  Mali,  a  country   whose   democratic   institutions   offer   a   framework   for   the   expression   of   all   legitimate   claims   and   make   it   possible   to   find,   through   dialogue,   solutions   to   the   concerns   of   the   different   components   of   the   Malian   nation.   Council   underscores   its   conviction   that   recourse   to   armed  rebellion  poses  a  serious  threat  to  the  democratization  process  on  the  continent,  as   well   as   to   Africa’s   stability   and   development,   and   must,   as   such,   be   discouraged   and   strongly   fought   against.   Council   requests   all   AU   partners   to   mark   their   support   for   the   principled   position   of   the   AU   and   consequently   promote   a   unified   position   of   the   entire   international  community  on  this  matter;