PSC/PR/BR.1(CDXIII) Page 1 PRESS STATEMENT The Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU), at its 413th meeting held on 16 January 2014, was briefed by the Commissioner for Peace and Security on the evolution of the situation in the Central African Republic (CAR). Council also received the statements made by Chad, South Africa, Rwanda, the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), France, the United Kingdom and the United States. Council recalled its previous communiqués and press statements on the situation in the CAR, particularly the Communiqué PSC/AHG/COMM.2(CDXI), adopted at its 411th meeting, held at the level of Heads of State and Government, in Banjul, The Gambia, on 30 December 2013. Council reiterated the commitment of the AU to continue to do everything possible to expedite the stabilisation of the situation in the CAR and the completion of the Transition process in the shortest time possible. Council welcomed the convening, in N'Djamena, on 8 and 9 January 2014, of an Extraordinary Summit of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) on the situation in the CAR and welcomed the decisions adopted on that occasion. In this regard, Council took note of the resignation of the Head of State and of the Prime Minister of the Transition and appealed to the members of the National Transitional Council to elect, as soon as possible, the new Executive, in conformity with the provisions of the Constitutional Charter of the Transition. Council called upon the political stakeholders of the CAR to take full advantage of the decisions of the N’Djamena Summit to facilitate the effective conduct of the Transition and carry out the tasks assigned to them. Council encouraged the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission in the CAR and Head of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic (MISCA), in consultation with other international partners, to continue to closely monitor this process and provide all the necessary support. Council reiterated its appreciation to the MISCA and its leadership team for their efforts, with the support of the French Sangaris Operation in a particularly difficult environment. Council welcomed the significant results already achieved in ensuring security in Bangui and the stabilisation of the country and urged the MISCA to pursue its efforts. Council welcomed the steps taken by the Commission to increase the force strength of MISCA and, in this regard, noted with satisfaction the start of the deployment process of the Rwandese contingent. Council stressed, once again, the need for a coordination and collaboration mechanism to ensure effective and harmonious operations by MISCA and the Regional Cooperation Initiative for the Elimination of the Lord's Resistance Army (RCI-LRA). Council reiterated the need for the AU Member States to fully support the MISCA, particularly by providing the financial resources so critically needed by the Mission, urging them to seize the