PSC/PR/COMM.2(DCLXI) Page 1 COMMUNIQUE The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 661st meeting, held at the ministerial level, on 23 February 2017, adopted the following decision on the theme “Protecting Children from Conflicts: Highlighting the Case of Child Soldiers in Africa”: Council, 1. Takes note of the Information Note provided by the AU Commission on Protecting Children from Conflicts: Highlighting the Case of Child Soldiers in Africa. Council further takes note of the statement made by the Acting Director for Peace and Security, on behalf of the Commissioner for Peace and Security. Council also takes note of the presentations made by the AU Commission, and by Retired Lieutenant General Roméo Dallaire of Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative, as well as of the statement made by the United Nations Office to the African Union; 2. Recalls the Executive Council Decision EX.CL/Dec.712 (XXI), adopted in June 2012, at its st 21 Ordinary Session, held in Addis Ababa, in which the Executive Council requested the PSC to take into account the rights of the child in its agenda, as well as its previous communiques and press statements on protection of children in conflict situations, particularly Press Statements [PSC/PR/BR.(DXCVII)], [PSC/PR/BR.(CDXCI)] and [PSC/PR/BR.(CDXXXIV)] adopted at its 597th, 491st and 434th meetings, held on 10 May 2016, 9 March 2015 and 8 December 2014, respectively; 3. Expresses deep concern over the continuing violations of children’s rights, erosion of their welfare and violence perpetrated against children, including sexual violence, attacks against schools, as well as wanton destruction of educational infrastructure, not only during situations of armed conflicts, but also during times of peace. Council further expresses concern that children are increasingly severely affected by violent extremism and forcibly recruited by armed groups. Council also expresses deep concern that children encountered in security operations are often treated systematically as security threats rather than victims, arrested and detained in counter-terrorism operations and used as spies for intelligence-gathering purposes, which puts them at more serious risk. In this regard, Council calls for concerted efforts in preventing violations of children’s rights and to urgently end child soldiers; 4. Reiterates concern over the continuation of illicit proliferation of small and light weapons, a situation which creates the terrible conditions that contribute to recruitment of children into child soldiers; 5. Acknowledges that the persistence of the problem of recruiting child soldiers in the continent constitutes a moral and criminal tragedy that Africa has to urgently and squarely come to terms with and accordingly find durable solutions. Council further acknowledges the double