ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, April 18, 2016/APO (African Press Organization)/ —
The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, condemns in the strongest terms the criminal attack carried out by South Sudanese armed elements in the Jakawa area of the Gambella region of Ethiopia, on 15 April 2016, killing 208 people and abducting 102 women and children.
The Chairperson of the Commission expresses the AU’s heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes speedy recovery to the injured. She assures the Government and people of Ethiopia of the AU’s full solidarity and support in these difficult circumstances. She demands the immediate and unconditional release of the women and children abducted from Ethiopia.
The Chairperson of the Commission looks forward to joint efforts by the Governments of South Sudan and Ethiopia to bring to justice those who committed this despicable act. She expresses the AU’s readiness to contribute to their efforts and support them as appropriate, through the existing regional and continental mechanisms and instruments, including the Djibouti Process on the Enhancement of Security Cooperation in the East Africa Region and the AU Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation, known as the Niamey Convention, which contains provisions relating to border security.
