The Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States

The Committee of Ambassadors of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States,

TAKING NOTE of the coup d’Etat staged against the democratically-elected President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Mr. Sidi Mohamed OULD CHEICK ABDALLAHI, on 6 August 2008;

HAVING REGARD to the Georgetown Agreement establishing the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States;

CONSIDERING ALSO the essential elements underpinning the ACP-EC Partnership, as enshrined in Article 9 of the Cotonou Agreement;

RECALLING that following the coup d’Etat  in Mauritania on 3 August 2005, the ACP Group assisted the Mauritanian authorities in their consultations with the European Union under Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement, and later in the implementation of the undertakings agreed by Mauritania to return the country to constitutional rule;

STRONGLY CONDEMNS the coup d’Etat of 6 August and vigorously REAFFIRMS its opposition, in principle, to all attempts to seize power by anti-constitutional means;

URGES the new authorities to guarantee full respect of all democratic principles and fundamental freedoms, and to ensure that Mauritania returns immediately to constitutional rule.

Done in Brussels on 11 September 2008.