Dispatch of an African Union assessment mission to Niger following the terrorist attacks of 23 May 2013

Addis Ababa, 12 June 2013 : Pursuant to the Declaration on the terrorist attacks in Niger and the solidarity of Africa with the Republic of Niger, adopted by the Assembly of the Union, at its 21st Ordinary Session held in Addis Ababa, on 26 and 27 May 2013, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, on 10 June 2013, sent an assessment mission comprising experts of the African Centre on the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) to Niger. The delegation, led by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission in Côte d’Ivoire, will stay in Niger until 15 June 2013.
The purpose of this mission is to gather all available information on the terrorist attacks perpetrated in Agadez and in Arlit, on 23 May 2013, and determine, together with the relevant authorities of Niger, the modalities of assistance in the area of security and intelligence.

The assessment mission will communicate its findings to the second meeting of Heads of Security and Intelligence Services of the countries of the region, scheduled to take place in Abidjan, as a follow-up to the Conclusions of the ministerial meeting held in Nouakchott on 17 March 2013 on the enhancement of security cooperation and operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture in the Sahelo-Saharan region. The first meeting of the Heads of Security and Intelligence Services of the countries of the Sahelo-Saharan region was held in Bamako on 18 April 2013.