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JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ Fourth Summit of Sana'a Forum for Cooperation Aden 28 - 29 Dec., 2005 _____________________________________ |
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· Upon the invitation from H.E Ali Abdullah Saleh President of the Republic of Yemen, H.E Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, president of the Republic of Sudan, H.E. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and H.E. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, President of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, held the Fourth Summit of the The Sana'a Forum for Cooperation (SFC) on 28 - 29 December, 2005, in Aden, the Economic and Commercial Capital of Yemen. The deliberations of the Summit were conducted in a constructive atmosphere to further the objectives of the SFC into more political, economic and security cooperation, and to strengthen the security and the stability in the member countries and the other countries in the region. · The leaders took note of the report presented by H.E. Omar Hassan Al-Bashir President of the Republic of Sudan on the activities during his Presidency of the SFC, and commended the work done and his good leadership of the SFC during his tenure. · The leaders acknowledged the work of the technical and executive committees and their follow-up of the agreements and decisions adopted during the 3rd summit, and emphasized the need to intensify their efforts with a view to achieve greater levels of coordination and cooperation among the member States of the SFC. · The following agreements were signed during the SFC Fourth Summit: Ø Agreement on Agricultural Cooperation. Ø Executive Program on Export Promotion. Ø Agreement on Cultural, Sport and Youth Cooperation. · The leaders reaffirmed the necessity for the relevant institutions in the member States to finalize the following accords: Ø Agreement on Free Trade Ø Agreement on Cooperation between free zones areas in member States. Ø Agreement on Customs (tariff) Cooperation. · The leaders commended the existing cooperation amongst businessmen from member States, and stressed the importance of formalizing the cooperation between businessmen in member States through the establishment of a joint Businessmen Council. · The leaders reviewed national, regional and international issues and their impact on the SFC countries and the region, and reaffirmed the following: 1. Member countries must prepare agreements and programs to promote the SFC trade exchanges, removing any barrier towards establishing a common trade market, expanding social, cultural, and scientific cooperation, and encouraging cooperation of businessmen and people to people interaction. 2. Expressed their satisfaction at the level of security cooperation among SFC countries, the level of coordination and information exchange. Emphasized the need to enhance security techniques and logistics amongst SFC countries, as well as training and exchange of expertise among security personnel. 3. Reinforced their commitment to protect their boundaries, coast lines, and territorial waters against infiltration of all forms of illegal trafficking and piracy. Instructed that a legal framework be prepared for this cooperation with countries in the region. They also expressed their commitment to the recommendations adopted last April in Sana'a by the regional workshop on combating piracy and armed robbery of (ships) vessels. 4. Condemned all forms of terrorism and expressed their conviction that terrorism is a major threat to national, regional, and international security and stability. They reiterated their full commitment to combat terrorism in cooperation with the international community. 5. Stressed their commitment to jointly endeavor to bring about durable peace and security in the region, for a sustained economic development in member States and countries of Southern Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. 6. Emphasized their adherence to the peaceful settlement of all disputes among countries of the region. 7. Congratulated H.E. President Ali Abdullah Saleh on the successful completion of the Seventh National Conference of the General People's Congress GPC, and expressed their confidence that it resolution will contribute to further the development and reform process in Yemen, and will strengthen its democratic process. They also congratulated H.E. president Ali Abdullah Saleh for his re-election as GPC Chairman. 8. The leaders praised the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in the Sudan, and the wisdom of H.E. Omar Hassan Al-Bashir who led the process to its successful conclusion, safeguarding the peace and security of the Sudan and inducing prosperity for its people. The summit expressed its hope to reach a prompt resolution of the conflict in Darfur through dialogue and without any foreign intervention in the Sudanese affairs. 9. The leaders expressed their satisfaction with the result of the Reconciliation Accord and the return of the Transitional Federal Government to Somalia, and reaffirmed their commitment to support its aim to build institutions and to establish full control over its territories in a united Somalia that contributes together with its neighbors to the realization of security and stability in the region. They called upon the international community to render support to the Transitional Federal Government to attain their goals. The leaders welcomed the Federal Republic of Somalia as member of SFC. 10. The leaders of SFC called on the Security Council for the partial lifting of the arms embargo in order to enable the mobilization of the peacekeeping force to restore peace, stability and return to normalcy. 11. The leaders of SFC recommended member States to undertake advocacy role to sensitize the international community in redoubling its effort to come to the aid of Somalia and its reconstruction. 12. The leaders praised the successful, democratic and transparent national elections that took place in May 2005 in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. They also expressed their support for the security and stability of Ethiopia and repudiated any act undermining constitutional order of the country. They further expressed that peaceful political participation and loyalty to the rule of law is the only means to promote democracy and good governance. 13. The leaders expressed their desire that peaceful and lasting solution to border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea can only be achieved through dialogue and diplomatic means. They also commended the Government of Ethiopia for its decision to redeploy its forces in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1640/2005. 14. Called upon the Security Council and the quartet for a prompt action to implement the Road Map, and other relevant Security Council resolutions, in order to establish an independent Palestinian State, and called for an end to Israeli military action targeting innocent Palestinians. 15. Welcomed the efforts exerted by the League of the Arab States to establish national reconciliation in Iraq, expressing their hope that the latest parliamentary election will lead to the formation of an Iraqi Government with the participation of Iraqis representing all sects, and political affiliation to re-establish the security and stability in Iraq, and put an end to the occupation of Iraq. 16. Reaffirmed the importance of the United Nations reforms in order to strengthen its international role, and achieve better representation of member States in the Security Council, and to reinvigorate its role to fulfill the Millennium Development Goals in the least developed countries. 17. The leaders agreed to hold the fifth Summit of SFC in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in Dec, 2006. The leaders expressed gratitude to H.E. President Ali Abdullah Saleh, and to the Yemeni people for the generous hospitality and good preparation for the Summit, and wished the Yemeni people greater success and greater prosperity. National Palace Addis Ababa 31 December 2005 |