Assembly/AU/Decl.8 (II) Page 2 Noting With Appreciation the strong support of the international community, especially as expressed in the United Nations General Assembly Declaration (A/RES/57/2) and Resolution on the NEPAD (A/RES/57/7) affirming the United Nations system’s support for the implementation of the NEPAD and recommending that the NEPAD be used as the framework for supporting Africa’s development by the international community, including the United Nations system; Welcoming the United Nations General Assembly Resolution on “Strengthening of the United Nations: an Agenda for Change” (RES/A/57/300) wherein, amongst others, the Assembly endorsed the decision of the Secretary-General to establish the Office of the Special Advisor on Africa [OSAA] with the responsibilities to coordinate the United Nations support to Africa, guide reporting on Africa and coordinate global advocacy in support of NEPAD; Noting With Satisfaction the work-in-progress in the five Clusters of UN Agencies established by the United Nations system with a view to operationalising the renewed interaction, collaboration and co-operation with Africa on the established Clusters (Infrastructure Development: Water and Sanitation, Energy, Transport, and ICTs; Governance, Peace and Security; Agriculture, Trade and Market Access; Environment, Population and Urbanization; and Human Resource Development, Employment and HIV/AIDS); Welcoming Further the continued support by the international community and the structured engagement and dialogue by the African leaders with the leaders of the Group of Eight Most Industrialised Countries [G8] at their last Summit held from 1 to 3 June 2003 in Evian, France where the implementation of NEPAD as well as the G8 Africa Action Plan were reviewed and, amongst others, the issues of international trade and debt relief for African countries were highlighted to G8 leaders; Noting With Encouragement the building of linkages by NEPAD, on behalf of the African Union, with other partners, initiatives and organisations such as the European Union, Nordic countries, the Tokyo International Conference on African Development process [TICAD], Association of South-East Asian Nations [ASEAN], the Economic Community of the Southern Cone [MERCOSUR] amongst others; Re-Emphasising the long term nature of the NEPAD programme and our determination to use all available resources to ensure its successful implementation and to sustain the interest and momentum created by the NEPAD process in the African continent and internationally and the need to retain the leadership and co-ordination role of the HSGIC, as a sub-committee of our Assembly, dedicated to the implementation of NEPAD; Recognising the need to provide sustainable financing for the NEPAD programmes: Progress Report 1. ENDORSE the Progress Report and COMMEND the HSGIC and its supporting structures for their co-ordination and catalytic role in facilitating the implementation of NEPAD priority programmes and projects across the African regions and more specifically through co-operation and collaboration with the Regional Economic Communities [RECs]; African Peer Review Mechanism 2. WELCOME the progress made with respect to the APRM in particular the accession of a number of Member States of the African Union to the APRM as well as the appointment of the Panel of Eminent Persons and ENCOURAGE other Member States of the African Union to accede to the APRM as well;