PSC/AHG/COMM.1(DLXXI) Page 3 their national legislations and strengthening regional coordination, notably within the frameworks of the Nouakchott Process on the Enhancement of Security Cooperation and the Operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture in the Sahelo-Saharan Region, the Sahel Fusion and Liaison Unit (UFL), the establishment of Djibouti Process for Eastern Africa, and the Eastern Africa Fusion and Liaison Unit (EA-FLU). In this context, Council also urges the AU Commission to enhance partnerships with the relevant United Nations institutions, the EU and bilateral partners; 12. Encourages the AU Commission to pursue and intensify its efforts to support the establishment of regional cooperation mechanisms for the Central Africa and Southern Africa regions to address specific transnational threats in these regions. Council notes the support extended by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) towards the development of a regional counter-terrorism strategy, which was endorsed by the 35th Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government, held in Gaborone, Botswana, from 17 to 18 August 2015; 13. Welcomes the efforts made by the Member States to sustain their efforts to enhance their capacities towards effective prevention and combating of terrorism, and encourages them to pursue action-oriented steps to strengthen national institutions and enhance cooperation and sharing of information and intelligence as concrete expression of their renewed commitment to combat terrorism and violent extremism; 14. Expresses concern that, despite the sustained efforts deployed and the progress made in the prevention and combating of terrorism and violent extremism, the phenomenon of terrorism continues to expand both geographically and in the level of violence in various parts of Africa. Gaps continue to exist in terms of implementation and follow-up, thus undermining the effectiveness of Africa’s response to the threat of terrorism and violent extremism. In this respect, Council stresses the need for a broad range of coordinated policy responses to strengthen state capacities to address underlying conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism and violent extremism. To this effect, Council: (i) underscores the need for renewed efforts and increased mobilization to combat terrorism and violent extremism, (ii) encourages Member States to effectively meet their obligations under the different regional and global counter-terrorism instruments. Council further reiterates its call to the Member States that have not yet done so, to urgently take the necessary steps to become party to the 1999 OAU Convention on the Prevention and Combating of terrorism and its 2004 Supplementary Protocol, and to the relevant international instruments adopted under the auspices of the United Nations, (iii) encourages Member States to deepen mutual efforts in security cooperation and in the fight against terrorism, on the basis of a unified vision of collective security, shared responsibility and transparency, reiterating the imperative of collective and coordinated action in preventing and combating terrorism,