Addis Ababa, 2 April 2015: The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, strongly condemns the cowardly terrorist attack against the campus of Garissa University College, in north eastern Kenya, perpetrated today by the al-Shabaab terrorist group and during which scores of innocent students and staff were killed, while many others were injured.

The Chairperson of the Commission is appalled by such barbaric act. She offers the AU's heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wishes speedy recovery to all those injured. She expresses AU's solidarity with the people and Government of Kenya and full support to their efforts in combatting the scourge of terrorism. She reiterates the AU's deep appreciation to Kenya for its outstanding contribution to the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the huge sacrifices made towards stabilizing that country, as part of the overall efforts to promote peace and security in the region and the continent as a whole.

The Chairperson of the Commission underlines, once again, the need for renewed and coordinated African efforts to prevent and combat terrorism and violent extremism, within the framework of the relevant continental and international instruments. She reiterates the AU's determination to continue supporting the effforts being deployed in this respect by the countries of the region, both through AMISOM and the Djibouti Process on the Enhancement of Security Cooperation in East Africa launched by the 1st meeting of the Heads of Intelligence and Security Services of the member states of the Inter-Governemental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the East African Community (EAC), held in Djibouti a month ago.