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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 ADDIS ABABA 000323 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/FO, AF/RSA, AF/SPG, AF/E, AF/C, AF/W, 
AF/S, NEA, IO/UNP. LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM ETRD SU AU
SUBJECT: AU SUMMIT KHARTOUM WRAP-UP 
 
REF: A. ADDIS ABABA 115 
 
     ¶B. KHARTOUM 209 
     ¶C. KHARTOUM 184 
     ¶D. KHARTOUM 186 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000323  001.2 OF 006 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The African Union (AU) Summit held January 
23 and 24 in Khartoum highlighted the AU Commission's efforts 
to "do the right thing" in terms of promoting continental 
good governance and human rights, as well as social progress, 
but also produced member state division.  Long negotiations 
resulted in Republic of Congo President Sassou-Nguesso 
replacing Nigerian President Obasanjo as Chairman of the AU 
Assembly.  While Sudan was ostensibly promised the Chair in 
2007, the AU is soon to establish clearer criteria for 
chairmanship rotation.  The AU set up a panel of African 
jurists to study the Hissene Habre case, and noted that there 
can be no impunity.  Tanzania was chosen to host the African 
Court of Justice and Court of Human Rights.  African 
Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights reports critical of 
several member states, including Zimbabwe, were deferred to 
the July 2006 Banjul Summit.  Uganda, Rwanda and Egypt 
replaced Sudan, Kenya and Libya on the Peace and Security 
Council (PSC).  While no special PSC meeting took place, the 
AU committed to working with IGAD and the Somali Transitional 
Federal Government to lobby for a waiver to the UN arms 
embargo on Somalia to enable an IGAD deployment.  The 
Assembly called for member state unity in promoting the 
"African Consensus" for UN Reform.  Sudan, Zambia and Sao 
Tome & Principe acceded to the AU/NEPAD African Peer Review 
Mechanism (APRM).  Foreign Ministers approved the AU's 2006 
budget of $129,000,000, but called for greater transparency 
in AU Commission administrative and financial practices and 
expressed concern with the increase in the number of member 
states sanctioned for non-payment.  End summary. 
 
--------------------------------------- 
ASSEMBLY CHAIRMANSHIP RACE ROILS SUMMIT 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Protracted discussions on Assembly Chairmanship 
ended with a consensus decision to grant chairmanship to 
Congo-Brazzaville President Sassou-Nguesso instead of 
Sudanese President Bashir.  Although the AU Commission and 
the majority of AU member states opposed Bashir's 
chairmanship on grounds that he lacks the moral authority to 
lead Africa while Darfur remains unresolved, AU Commission 
Chairperson Konare wanted member states to display the 
courage to make their views known in a vote (Refs C and D). 
In Konare's view, member state failure to do so amounts to a 
"crisis of leadership" in Africa.  The chairmanship issue in 
many ways overshadowed other issues at the summit, but the 
Commission hopes to establish clear criteria for chairmanship 
ahead of the next rotation.  (Note:  Sassou-Nguesso will be 
supported by a bureau of 14 "vice chairs" per AU Assembly 
rules of procedure.  These vice chairs are:  Sudan, Angola, 
Algeria, Mali, Gabon, Kenya, Cameroon, Namibia, Egypt, 
Senegal, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Benin.  AU Legal has 
recommended reducing the Bureau to four, with one vice chair 
from each region not holding the chairmanship, but this 
proposal has yet to be approved.  End note.) 
 
----------------------------- 
HUMAN RIGHTS BODY MAKES WAVES 
----------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) The semi-independent AU body the African Commission 
on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) submitted bold 
resolutions criticizing Eritrea, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Uganda, 
the DRC and Sudan for human rights breaches in 2005. 
However, the member states concerned succeeded in blocking 
consideration of the reports at the Khartoum Summit on 
procedural grounds.  The Assembly (heads of state) did order 
these countries to file responses to the reports within three 
months to enable their consideration at the July 2006 Banjul 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000323  002.2 OF 006 
 
 
Summit.  The ACHPR's report also called for member state 
attention to fighting terrorism, and noted the intention to 
convene a meeting of experts to consider human rights 
implications of combating terrorism in Africa. 
 
----------------------------------- 
AFRICAN JURISTS TO STUDY HABRE CASE 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Assembly decided to create a committee of 
"eminent African jurists" to study the case of former Chadian 
leader Hissene Habre wanted for extradition to Belgium to 
stand trial for human rights abuses.  The committee will be 
appointed by Assembly Chairperson Sassou-Nguesso in 
consultation with AU Commission Chairperson Konare.  The 
Assembly mandated the committee to take into account 
"adherence to the principles of total rejection of impunity" 
and expressed priority for an "African mechanism."  (Note: 
The AU Commission had feared that the Summit would 
over-politicize the Habre case, but was ultimately successful 
in having a legal mechanism set up to consider the case.  End 
note.) 
 
---------------------------- 
STRIVING FOR ACCOUNTABILILTY 
---------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) In terms of accountability standards and 
institutions, AU Commission Chairperson Konare told the 
opening session of the Executive Council (foreign ministers) 
that the AU Commission plans to consult with civil society 
and member states to recommend amendments to the Lome 
Convention on Unconstitutional Changes of Government in order 
to strengthen Africa's ability to address bad governance, 
which can lead to coups.  The Summit granted Tanzania the 
seat of the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights and 
African Court of Justice, which will eventually be merged. 
It appointed eleven judges to the Court of Human and Peoples' 
Rights, who will meet in April 2006 to consider the court's 
rules of procedure.  Member states were given until March 31, 
2006 to submit comments to the Algiers Working Group draft 
legal instrument to merge the two courts.  The Assembly 
called for the NEPAD implementation committee to submit a 
progress report to the Banjul Summit.  (Note:  AU Commission 
officials report that the heads of state hope for progress on 
the issue of NEPAD integration into the AU Commission and 
harmonization of responsibilities.  End note.)  Sudan, Sao 
Tome & Principe and Zambia acceded to the African Peer Review 
Mechanism (APRM), and the Assembly held long sessions to 
review the completed Ghana and Rwanda APRM reports.  UN 
Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Secretary General 
Janneh told the Executive Council that UNECA is working as a 
strategic partner to the AU Commission in implementing the 
APRM.  Outgoing Chairman Obasanjo said the AU represents a 
call on African leaders to redefine Africa's destiny.  He 
asked leaders not to sacrifice Africa to narrow interests, 
but instead to pursue peace and security, AU institutional 
transformation, and integration. 
 
-------------------------- 
SPOTLIGHTING SOCIAL ISSUES 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) AU Commission Chairperson Konare called on member 
states to support social, educational and cultural programs 
to further continental integration and prepare Africans to 
address globalization, development and peace and security 
challenges.  He called for the development of a continental 
structure to enable Africa to be a credible partner to UNESCO 
in preserving and promoting African culture.  Konare 
re-launched the African decade of education and said that the 
AU Commission will establish an African Academy of Languages 
to celebrate 2006 as the Year of African Languages.  Konare 
also called for the establishment of a secure African 
diplomatic passport as a first step to removing the visa 
requirement on the continent (Note:  Some Addis-based African 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000323  003.2 OF 006 
 
 
diplomats point to the African passport scheme as evidence of 
the Commission's "undue" focus on idealistic visions as 
opposed to concrete activities to improve the continent. 
These African diplomats note that there remains a division 
between member states promoting rapid integration to a United 
States of Africa and others advocating a step-by-step 
approach.  The Assembly called for a draft integration 
roadmap to be submitted to the Banjul Summit.  End note.). 
 
¶7. (SBU)  The Assembly approved 2006-2015 as the "Second 
Decade for Education in Africa" and called for better 
coordination between NEPAD, the Millennium Development Goals 
(MDGs) and other efforts aimed at improving education on the 
continent.  It adopted a revised Charter for the Cultural 
Renaissance of Africa and designated Bamako as the host for 
the African Academy of Languages.  The Assembly "reinstated" 
the link between culture and education as a weapon to fight 
poverty, disease, and challenges to peace and security and 
governance.  It decided to eliminate cultural practices that 
have negative impacts on health, human rights and education. 
The Executive Council reaffirmed the link between Africa, the 
AU and the African diaspora.  It declared August 1 
"emancipation day" in solidarity with the diaspora, and 
decided to convene an Africa-South America Summit in May 
¶2006. 
 
¶8. (SBU) On health issues, the Assembly approved the AIDS 
Watch Africa (AWA) strategic framework, which emphasizes 
universal access to prevention, treatment and care as well as 
the crisis of orphans.  It called for member states to 
support AWA advocacy.  (Note:  The AU Commission is working 
with partners to support the AWA Strategic Plan, which has a 
USD 10,456,000 budget through 2007.  The project document was 
sent to AF/RSA and AF/EPS.  End note). The Executive Council 
called for the establishment of a common African position on 
HIV/AIDS to form the continent's contribution to the UN 
General Assembly (UNGASS) Special Session on AIDS.  The 
common position is to be submitted for adoption by African 
ministers of health during the World Health Assembly in May 
¶2006.  The Executive Council also tasked the Commission with 
establishing a roadmap for sustainable universal access to 
prevention, treatment and care.  It endorsed the convening of 
a Special Session of African Ministers of Health dedicated to 
Reproductive Health and Rights in Maputo.  The Executive 
Council endorsed the Continental Policy Framework for the 
Promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in 
Africa and called on member states to mainstream the policy 
framework into national health programs.  (Note:  Djibouti, 
Egypt, Libya, Somalia and Sudan issued reservations.  End 
note.) The Executive Council called upon the Commission to 
strengthen member state capacity and epidemio-surveillance 
systems for avian influenza, and endorsed the proposal to 
establish a research program at Serengeti National Park. 
 
------------------ 
PEACE AND SECURITY 
------------------ 
 
¶9. (U) The Khartoum Summit elected Burkina Faso, Rwanda, 
Uganda and Egypt to two-year terms on the Peace and Security 
Council (PSC).  The PSC is now comprised of Gabon, Ethiopia, 
Algeria, South Africa, Nigeria (terms up in 2007) and 
Cameroon, Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Egypt, Botswana, Malawi, 
Ghana, Senegal and Burkina Faso (terms up in 2008).  Sudan, 
Kenya, Libya and Togo are no longer PSC members. 
 
¶10. (SBU) While no PSC meeting was held, foreign ministers 
issued decisions on Somalia and Cote d'Ivoire.  The Executive 
Council requested the PSC to play a more active role in 
speeding up the deployment of a peace support operation to 
Somalia and decided to establish a review panel comprised of 
representatives from the AU Commission, IGAD Secretariat and 
Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to submit a proposal to 
the UNSC regarding the arms embargo.  The Executive Council 
called upon the international community to extend assistance 
to the Transitional Federal Institutions, condemned acts of 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000323  004.2 OF 006 
 
 
violence and commended the AU Commission for setting up an 
office in Jowhar.  (Note:  The AU Somalia desk officer 
believes that IGAD seeks to legitimize the presence of IGAD 
member states in Somalia by calling for a limited military 
observer mission.  End note).  On Cote d'Ivoire, the 
Executive Council reiterated full support for the 
International Working Group and the UN and urged all parties 
to extend full cooperation with mediation.  It condemned acts 
of violence directed at the UN mission.  AU Commission 
Chairperson declared in the opening session of the Executive 
Council that Africa had seen "enough" conflict and announced 
the AU's intention to place more emphasis on conflict 
prevention.  Outgoing Chairman Obasanjo highlighted conflicts 
in Darfur, the CAR, Chad-Sudan and the Ethiopia-Eritrea 
border dispute. 
 
¶11. (U) Other peace and security-related decisions include 
the Executive Council's call for member states to ratify the 
Pelindaba Treaty establishing Africa as a nuclear weapon-free 
zone; a request to the Commission to examine Togo's proposal 
regarding the UN Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in 
Africa; a request to member states to defend the African 
Common Position on the Plan of Action on Small Arms and Light 
Weapons throughout the UN review process and to the 
Commission to create a legally-binding instrument to prevent, 
combat and eradicate illicit trade in small arms and weapons 
in Africa; approval of staffing for the Algiers Center for 
Study and Research on Terrorism; and a decision on Palestine 
and the Middle East including reiteration of full support for 
the Palestinian cause, a welcoming of the Israeli withdrawal 
from the Gaza strip, and a condemnation of various Israeli 
acts (Note:  The PLO is granted a seat at AU proceedings. 
End note). 
 
-------------------------------- 
TRADE, ECONOMICS AND DEVELOPMENT 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶12. (U) The Executive Council endorsed the Arusha Declaration 
and Plan of Action on African Commodities, called upon member 
states to implement commitments and authorized the Commission 
to work with other relevant organizations to establish a 
follow-up mechanism to facilitate implementation of the plan 
of action. 
 
¶13. (U) The Assembly reaffirmed commitment to a successful 
completion of the WTO Doha Development Round and called upon 
industrialized countries to show "greater flexibility" in 
negotiating positions.  It called for "appropriate 
compensation" to African countries that may be adversely 
affected by the delay in elimination of agricultural export 
subsidies, welcomed the extension of the TRIPs Agreement 
transition period for lesser-developed countries and 
reiterated the need to simplify procedures, commended the Aid 
for Trade Initiative, reiterated the need to review the 
Special and Differential treatment provisions of WTO 
Agreements, and directed the AU Commission to work with the 
UNECA and other bodies to coordinate Africa's common position 
and grant technical assistance to member states. 
 
¶14. (U) Regarding African financial institutions, the 
Executive Council took note of the northern region's 
nomination of Libya as host for the African Investment Bank 
and requested the central and western regions to name hosts 
for the African Monetary Fund and African Central Bank by 
March 31, 2006.  It also requested the Commission to set up 
technical steering committees to further establishment of the 
financial institutions. 
 
¶15. (U) The Executive Council urged member states to 
implement World Summit on Information Society Tunis 
Commitment and Tunis Agenda recommendations.  It urged 
regular meetings of Information Communication Technology 
ministers and invited the creation of a digital solidarity 
fund.  The Executive Council also authorized the Commission 
to organize workshops, develop databases and assess member 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000323  005.2 OF 006 
 
 
state capacity building requirements. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
UN REFORM AND INTERNATIONAL CANDIDATURES 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶16. (SBU) The Assembly decided to maintain AU support for the 
draft resolution on UNSC reform and requested all member 
states to sponsor it.  It renewed the mandate of the 
Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government and the 
expanded follow-up mechanism to continue consultations in 
support of the African Common Position of securing two 
permanent seats and five non-permanent UNSC seats with right 
of veto, and urged "member states that would wish to pursue 
other initiatives to support this process."  (Note: 
According to AU officials, Nigeria had proposed a compromise 
regarding the right of veto in order to secure African seats. 
 Some member states reportedly decided not to extend 
Obasanjo's term as AU Assembly Chair as an alternative to a 
Bashir Chairmanship for fear that position would strengthen 
Nigeria's bid for a UNSC seat.  End note). 
 
¶17. (U) The Executive Council supported Algerian Tayeb Cherif 
for re-election as Secretary General of the International 
Civil Aviation Organization and Justice Akua Kuenyehia as 
judge on the International Criminal Court.  It requested the 
Commission to obtain more information from the Africa Group 
in Vienna to enable appropriate recommendations on the 
Nigerian candidature for the Council of Governors of the 
International Atomic Energy Agency, and deferred 
consideration of candidatures of Abdelkerim Boussaid of 
Algeria for the post of Director of Telecommunication 
Development of the International Telecommunications Union 
(ITU) and Hamadoun Toure of Mali to the post of Secretary 
General of ITU pending those positions being declared vacant. 
 
----------------------- 
AU BUDGET AND STRUCTURE 
----------------------- 
 
¶18. (U) The Executive Council approved a USD 129.6 million 
dollar 2006 program budget divided into a USD 69.4 million 
operational budget to be funded through assessed 
contributions, and a 60.2 million voluntary budget to be 
funded by member states and partners.  The Commission was 
authorized to use payment of arrears to fund USD 11.5 million 
in staff and operational costs to implement the structure 
approved at the Maputo Summit, recruitment for the Pan 
African Parliament and other requests.  South Africa and 
Ethiopia were commended for contributing USD 11,825,572 and 
USD 99,152, respectively, to the 2005 voluntary 
("solidarity") budget and Nigeria was commended for 
announcing a contribution of USD 10 million to the 2005 
voluntary budget. 
 
¶19. (U) The Executive Council expressed concern over the 
increasing number of member states falling into arrears.  It 
noted that the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic 
of Congo, Eritrea, Guinea Bissau, Sao-Tome & Principe, 
Somalia, Liberia and Seychelles continue to fall under 
sanction for non-payment of assessed contributions.  Benin, 
Cape Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea and Mauritania were added 
to that list.  The Executive Council accepted Burundi's 
proposed installment plan to pay arrears, lifted sanctions on 
Sierra Leone if it continues to honor the agreed payment 
schedule, and lifted sanctions on Niger, Djibouti and Gabon 
who made payments during the Summit.  The Permanent 
Representatives Committee noted that the volume of member 
states falling under sanctions could paralyze the 
organization due to lack of quorum on decisions. 
 
¶20. (SBU) Note:  Addis-based partners were pleased to see 
specific mention of partner contributions in the Executive 
Council decision, although South Africa filed a reservation 
stating preference for a combined budget to ensure African 
ownership.  Past lack of reference to partner contributions 
 
ADDIS ABAB 00000323  006.2 OF 006 
 
 
and stated preference to cover AU needs through member state 
assessments was a source of confusion for partners seeking to 
contribute to member state-approved programs.  Partners and 
the AU will hold the first support coordination mechanism 
meeting on February 7 in Addis Ababa. End note. 
 
¶21. (SBU) Working-level AU Commission officials said that 
member states and AU staff are increasingly frustrated with 
what they see as AU Commission mismanagement of funds and 
other resources.  These officials predict "big changes" in AU 
leadership as Chairperson and Commissioners' positions are up 
for election in July 2007.  (Comment:  The AU Commission is 
challenged by the need to show results to member states and 
the international community, while also struggling to build 
institutional capacity with limited resources.  AU 
intervention in Darfur is a prime example, as the AU is still 
unable to recruit staff and make payments to contractors 
within a reasonable timeframe.  Some partners are working 
with the AU to fund and carry out an institutional assessment 
to identify administrative and management deficiencies. 
UNDPKO is also working with the AU to improve management of 
peace support operations.  The AU Commission has thus far 
shown willingness to accept criticism and work with partners 
to implement improvements.  End comment). 
 
------------------ 
EYE ON BANJUL 2006 
------------------ 
 
¶22. (SBU) The AU Commission intends to make rationalization 
of the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) the theme of the 
July 2006 Summit in Banjul.  The Commission hopes to achieve 
harmonization of REC membership (currently, some member 
states belong to more than one REC) and a MOU with the RECs 
on respective roles and responsibilities.  The AU Commission 
has long pointed to unwieldy RECs as an obstacle to 
continental integration and peace and security efforts, 
including the African Standby Force.  The AU Commission sees 
RECs as the building blocks for integration and the 
Commission as the coordinating body. (Note:  Part of the 
Commission's coordination role is to ensure member state 
ratification and implementation of continental legal 
instruments and the Khartoum Summit requested the Pan African 
Parliament to assist in sensitization of member states as 
well as the Commission to convene meetings of experts to 
promote ratification.  End note). 
 
¶23. (U) Note:  According to the AU Commission, the Northern 
region should contain Algeria, Egypt, Libya, SADR, Tunisia 
and Mauritania; the Southern Region Angola, Botswana, 
Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, 
Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe; the Western Region Benin, 
Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea 
Bissau, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, 
Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo; the Eastern Region Comoros, 
Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, 
Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania; and 
the Central Region Burundi, Cameroon, Central African 
Republic, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of 
Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Sao Tome & Principe.  End 
note. 
 
 
 
 
HUDDLESTON