Assembly/AU/ 6 (X)I Page 2 During the 10th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government, African Leaders, upon the initiative of the Government of Mozambique, decided that the AU Commission, in collaboration with relevant partners, assesses progress made in reducing maternal, infant and child death in Africa and submit it to the June-July Summit of the AU Heads of State and Government for their consideration and directives for the way forward, leading to 2015. More specifically, the Assembly: o URGES Member states, in collaboration with development partners and stakeholders, to effectively implement the commitments made to improve the rights and welfare of women, infants and children in Africa; o CALLS UPON development partners at all levels to intensify efforts to provide well-coordinated support, based on the respective needs and policies of affected communities and countries; o MANDATES the Chairperson of the African Union to undertake vigorous advocacy to mobilize resources and galvanise political will among the industrialized countries, at any available opportunity, including at such forums as the G8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit (2008), TICAD IV (2008), EU Summit (2008), to advance maternal, infant and child health and development in Africa; o REQUESTS the AU Commission to include the “Promotion of Maternal, Infant and Child Health and Development” on the Agenda of our 11th Ordinary Session in 2008; o FURTHER REQUESTS AU Commission to submit a progress report on the implementation of its commitments on children and progress towards achieving MDGs 4, 5 and 6 to the 12th Ordinary Session of the Assembly in 2009. Guided by the above Decision of the AU Heads of Sate and Government and as an important part of its programmes in the social sector, the AU Commission collaborated with partners in the field including WHO and UNAIDS to compile the following report on the implementation status of MDGs 4 and 5. II. STATUS OF IMPMENTATION OF MDGS 4 AND 5 IN AFRICA A more detailed report covering all the health related MDGs, including the Goal on reducing poverty and hunger (MDG1) has been prepared to the Special Session of the Conference of African Ministers of Health (CAMH) held on 17 May 2008, in Geneva, at the margins of the World Health Assembly. This Section provides an overview of the status of implementation of the two health related MDGs (4 and 5).