Statement by Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on the Establishment of the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council

May 25, 2004
Japanese

Ms. Yoriko Kawaguchi, Minister for Foreign Affairs, issued the following statement today:

The establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (AU) is a manifestation of Africa's self-help efforts in the sphere of peace and security. The Government of Japan heartily welcomes its inauguration and expects the Council to become an important driving force in bringing peace and prosperity to Africa.
Through the process of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), Japan has positively extended assistance for the consolidation of peace and for the realization of human security in Africa, and is the world's second largest donor to the U.N. peacekeeping operations in Africa. Japan intends to further develop cooperative relations with the AU, which is expanding its roles centering on the Peace and Security Council.

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On May 25, a ceremony to launch the Council was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with head-of-state-level representatives attending. Mr. Keitaro Sato, Ambassador in Charge of Conflict and Refugee-related Issues in Africa, represented the Japanese Government at the ceremony, and a message from Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was delivered.
The Council is given a wide-ranging mandate: permission to dispatch African peace support missions, arbitration and prevention of conflicts, decision to impose sanctions on an illegal change of government. It consists of 15 countries, of which 10 have a term of two years and five three years. The present members are Algeria, Ethiopia, Gabon, Nigeria, South Africa (three-years term), Cameroon, Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Mozambique, Senegal, Sudan and Togo (two-year term).

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