International
terrorism over the past decade has come to constitute
the most serious threat to global peace, security
and development. This unfortunate development and
all its evil manifestations around the world and
particularly in Africa, undermine the most cherished
values and fundamental principles of the 21st century
including development, democracy, human rights,
and freedoms. The African Union strongly
condemns all acts and forms of terrorism in Africa
and wherever they may occur.
Terrorism
violates international law, including the Charter
of the United Nations and the principles and values
enunciated in the Constitutive Act of the African
Union and the Protocol Relating to the Establishment
of the Peace and Security Council (PSC). African
countries have long espoused the imperative need
to combat and eradicate the phenomenon of terrorism
through a comprehensive approach that addresses
its root causes. In their collective resolve and
determination to deal with a common threat, Member
States of the Union have adopted instruments and
decisions creating a common framework for the prevention
and combating of terrorism in Africa. They have
also signed, ratified and/or acceded to international
counter-terrorism instruments, particularly those
listed in the annex to the 1999 OAU Convention on
the Prevention and Combating of Terrorism.
In
order to strengthen their collective efforts and
to translate their commitments into concrete actions,
Members of the Union have established, in Algiers,
Algeria, an African Centre for the Study and Research
on Terrorism (ACSRT), as an institution of the AU
Commission to boost the capacity of the Union in
the prevention and combating of terrorism in Africa.
By
virtue of the Constitutive Act, and the PSC Protocol,
the African Union is leading efforts of the continent
to combat and prevent terrorism. As a universal
threat, terrorism must be confronted through a universal
approach. To this end, the African Union is working
with members of the international community to strengthen
international cooperation and a common approach
to eradicate the scourge of terrorism.
Alpha
Oumar Konaré
Chairperson, AU Commission
