44 Pledges 2011 - Ministerial Intergovernmental Event on Refugees and Stateless Persons AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION PLEDGE FORM The African Union Commission congratulates the High Commissioner for Refugees on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the 50th Anniversary of the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The African Union Commission seizes this occasion to renew its commitment to the notion of protection of displaced persons and to underscore the importance of the values of solidarity, cooperation and burden sharing in and amongst state parties and non-state parties. The African Union Commission notes that with regard to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, 26 of its Member States have so far ratified the convention. Taking into account the correlation between the incidence of statelessness and the determination of nationality, the African Union Commission therefore pledges to work with UNHCR to raise awareness and foster common understanding about statelessness, and to urge the remaining African states that are yet to sign and or ratify the Convention to do so at the earliest opportunity. In this regard, the African Union Commission will bring the issue of statelessness and the determination of nationality to the attention of the AU member states, with a view to adopting a common position on the two issues as well as continental guidelines on elements for the determination of nationality. The African Union Commission also renews its commitment and support to displaced persons and in particular, to refugees, and reaffirms the fundamental principles of the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol, as well as the 1969 OAU Convention governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa. While upholding these principles, specific emphasis is placed on changed conditions requiring objective assessment of political and social changes in countries of origin. These conditions are critical in determining the implementation of cessation clauses in given refugee situations. The African Union Commission pledges to link this to the notion of durable solutions as an effective and integral part of integration and repatriation programmes in ending any given refugee situation. Overall, whilst continuously engaging in advocating and facilitating durable solutions, the African Union Commission is committed and pledges to work towards preventing further displacement and to address its root causes on the continent through implementation of the Africa Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and Common African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) amongst other