Assembly/AU/Dec.269(XIV) Rev.1
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5.
CONSIDERS that AU is endowed with the instruments required to tackle the
scourge of unconstitutional change of Government and that the objective should be
to promote the effective implementation of these instruments by, where necessary,
refining, enriching and updating them, rather than elaborating new instruments.
The Assembly ALSO EMPHASIZES, in conformity with the relevant AU
instruments, the need for a
comprehensive approach to the issue of
unconstitutional changes of Government based on zero tolerance for coups d’ Etat
but also for violations of democratic standards, the persistence and reoccurrence
of which could result in unconstitutional changes;
6.
ENDORSES the recommendations contained in the Report of the Chairperson of
the Commission and, more specifically, agrees on the following measures:
i)
Enhancing the effectiveness of AU response to unconstitutional
changes and modalities for accompanying transitions:
a)
REITERATES its appeal to all the Member States concerned to take, without
delay, the measures required of them to become parties to the African
Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which considerably
strengthens the provisions regarding unconstitutional changes of
Government, and REQUESTS the Commission, working closely with the
relevant structures of the Union, particularly the Pan-African Parliament, to
pursue and step up its efforts at raising the awareness of all the concerned
stakeholders to speed up the entry into force of the Charter;
b)
DECIDES that, in cases of unconstitutional changes of Government, in
addition to the suspension of the country concerned, the following measures
shall apply:
a. non-participation of the perpetrators of the unconstitutional change
in the elections held to restore constitutional order;
b. implementation of sanctions against any Member State that is
proved to have instigated or supported an unconstitutional change
in another State;
c. implementation by the Assembly of other sanctions, including
punitive economic sanctions.
Adopted by the Fourteenth Ordinary Session of the Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 2 February 2010