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Compilation of documents or texts adopted and used by various intergovernmental, international, regional and subregional organizations aimed at promoting and consolidating democracy


Lomé Declaration of July 2000 on the framework for an OAU response to unconstitutional changes of government (AHG/Decl.5 (XXXVI)

We, Heads of State and Governments of the Organization of African Unity, meeting at the Thirty-sixth Ordinary Session of our Assembly in Lome, Togo from 10 - 12 July, 2000 have undertaken a review of the Political Developments on the Continent and in particular the state of consolidating democracy in Africa.

We express our grave concern about the resurgence of coup d'etat in Africa . We recognize that these developments are a threat to peace and security of the Continent and they constitute a very disturbing trend and serious set back to the ongoing process of democratization in the Continent.

We recognize that the phenomenon of coup d'etat has resulted in flagrant violations of the basic principles of our Continental Organization and of the United Nations. The phenomenon also contradicts and contravenes the position taken by our Organization in Harare in 1997 following the coup d'etat in Sierra Leone , in which we unequivocally condemned and rejected any unconstitutional change of government. We reaffirm that coups are sad and unacceptable developments in our Continent, coming at a time when our people have committed themselves to respect of the rule of law based on peoples will expressed through the ballot and not the bullet.

We recall our Decision AHG/Dec.141 (XXXV), adopted during the Thirty-fifth Ordinary Session of our Assembly, in which we unanimously rejected any unconstitutional change as an unacceptable and anachronistic act, which is in contradiction of our commitment to promote democratic principles and conditions.

We recall further the mandate by the Seventieth Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers, held in Algiers, in July 1997, to the Central Organ of the OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution to reactivate, as a matter of urgency, the sub-committee on unconstitutional change, in order to finalize its work in the light of the Harare discussions particularly, as regards the measures to apply in coup d'etat situations occurring in Member States.

We reaffirm the provisions of the OAU Charter and the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights. We recognize that the principles of good governance, transparency and human rights are essential elements for building representative and stable governments and

can contribute to conflict prevention.

Having reviewed the state of democracy in the Continent, and bearing in mind all our previous Decisions on this issue, as well as our strong determination to put an end to this unacceptable development.

We have agreed on the following elements of a Framework for an OAU response to Unconstitutional Changes of Government:

a) a set of common values and principles for democratic governance;

b) a definition of what constitutes an unconstitutional change; and

c) measures and actions that the OAU would progressively take to respond to an Unconstitutional Change of Government; and

d) an implementation Mechanism.

We are of the view that there is need to provide a solid underpinning to the OAU's agenda of promoting democracy and democratic institutions in Africa . Beyond invoking relevant Declarations issued by various sessions of our Assembly and the Council of Ministers, consideration could be given to the elaboration of a set of principles on democratic governance to be adhered to by all Member States of the OAU. These principles are not new; they are, as a matter of fact, contained in various documents adopted by our Organization. What is required here is to enumerate them in a coherent manner which will bear witness to our adherence to a

common concept of democracy and will lay down the guiding principles for the qualification of a given situation as constituting an unconstitutional change. In this regard, and without being exhaustive, we have also agreed on the following principles as a basis for the articulation of common values and principles for democratic governance in our countries:

i) adoption of a democratic Constitution: its preparation, content and method of revision should be in conformity with generally acceptable principles of democracy;

ii) respect for the Constitution and adherence to the provisions of the law and other legislative enactments adopted by Parliament;

iii) separation of powers and independence of the judiciary;

iv) promotion of political pluralism or any other form of participatory democracy and the role of the African civil society, including enhancing and ensuring gender balance in the political process;

v) the principle of democratic change and recognition of a role for the opposition;

vi) organization of free and regular elections, in conformity with existing texts;

vii) guarantee of freedom of expression and freedom of the press, including guaranteeing access to the media for all political stake-holders;

viii) constitutional recognition of fundamental rights and freedoms in conformity with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights of 1981;

ix) guarantee and promotion of human rights.

We believe that the strict adherence to these principles and the strengthening of democratic institutions will considerably reduce the risks of unconstitutional change on our Continent. Indeed, experience has shown that unconstitutional changes are sometimes the culmination of a political and institutional crisis linked to nonadherence to the above common values and democratic principles. Our Organization should therefore support all efforts aimed at promoting adherence to these principles.

In order to give practical effect to the principles we have enunciated, we have agreed on the following definition of situations that could be considered as situations of unconstitutional change of government:

i) military coup d'etat against a democratically elected Government;

ii) intervention by mercenaries to replace a democratically elected Government;

iii) replacement of democratically elected Governments by armed dissident groups and rebel movements;

iv) the refusal by an incumbent government to relinquish power to the winning party after free, fair and regular elections.

We have also decided that:

Whenever an unconstitutional change as provided for in the definition of unconstitutional change above, takes place in a Member States, our Current Chairman of the OAU and our Secretary-General, on behalf of our Organization, should immediately and publicly condemn such a change and urge for the speedy return to constitutional order. The Current Chairman and the Secretary-General should also convey a clear and unequivocal warning to the perpetrators of the unconstitutional change that, under no circumstances, will their illegal action be tolerated or recognized by the OAU. In that regard, the Current Chairman and the Secretary-General should urge for consistency of action at the bilateral, inter-state, sub-regional and international levels. The Central Organ should thereafter convene, as a matter of urgency, to discuss the matter.

At the request of its Chairman, the Secretary-General or any OAU Member State , the Central Organ may be convened to consider any given situation that could be considered as constituting an unconstitutional change. Following the initial response of condemning the unconstitutional change by the Central Organ:

(a) A period of up to six months should be given to the perpetrators of the unconstitutional change to restore constitutional order. During the six month period, the government concerned should be suspended from participating in the Policy Organs of the OAU. Apart from the sanctions provided for under Article 115 of the OAU Financial Rules and Regulations, the governments concerned should not participate in meetings of the Central Organ and Sessions of the Council of Ministers and the Assembly of Heads of State and Government. Its exclusion from

participating in the OAU Policy Organs should not affect the country's membership in the OAU and therefore will not preclude it from honouring its basic obligations towards the Organization including financial contributions to the OAU regular budget;

(b) The Secretary-General should, during this period gather facts relevant to the unconstitutional change of Government and establish appropriate contacts with the perpetrators with a view to ascertaining their intentions regarding the restoration of constitutional order in the country; the Secretary-General should seek the contribution of African leaders and personalities in the form of discreet moral pressure on the perpetrators of the unconstitutional change in order to get them to

cooperate with the OAU and facilitate the restoration of constitutional order in the Member State concerned; the Secretary-General should speedily enlist the collaboration of the Regional Grouping to which the "country in crisis" belongs. At the expiration of the six months suspension period, a range of limited and targeted sanctions against the regime that stubbornly refuses to restore constitutional order should be instituted, in addition to the suspension from participation in the OAU Policy Organs. This could include visa denials for the perpetrators of an unconstitutional change, restrictions of government-togovernment contacts, trade restrictions, etc. In implementing a sanctions regime, the OAU should enlist the cooperation of Member States , Regional Groupings and the wider International/Donor Communities. Careful attention should be exercised to ensure that the ordinary citizens of the concerned country do not suffer disproportionately on account of the enforcement of sanctions.

In order to give effect to these measures, we have decided that existing OAU mechanisms, particularly the Central Organ, at all its three levels, will be the instrument for implementing this Framework for an OAU response to unconstitutional changes in Africa . In this regard, we request our Secretary-General to explore how best to enhance the capacity of that Policy Organ to enable it implement in an effective and credible manner, the principles contained in the Framework.

We have agreed on the establishment of a Central Organ sanctions sub-committee of 5 members chosen on the basis of regional representation. The sub-committee will regularly monitor compliance with Decisions taken on situations of unconstitutional changes and recommend appropriate review measures to the Policy Organs of the OAU.

 

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