Assembly/AU/Dec.563(XXIV) Page 3 14. NOTES WITH SATISFACTION the impressive progress recorded under the Dakar Agenda for Action and the Presidential Infrastructure Champion Initiative (PICI). GRATEFULLY NOTES the report presented by H.E. Jacob G. ZUMA, President of the Republic of South Africa and the Chairperson of the HSGOC PICI High-Level Sub Committee including the key outcomes of the PICI Ministerial and Technical meetings hosted by the Government of the Republic of South Africa in Pretoria in January 2015. 15. In the context of PICI, HIGHLIGHTS the successful completion of the East African Community Regional ICT project and the launch of the construction of the missing link of the Trans-Saharan Highway in November 2014. AGREES to include new high-impact energy projects in the PICI portfolio and ADOPTED the manufacturing of rail rolling stock to be championed by the Republic of South Africa to support the deepened drive towards industrialization and the Lamu Port, South Sudan, Ethiopian Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor to be championed by H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya. 16. EQUALLY RECOGNIZES the progress made under the SMART Africa championed by H.E. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda within the framework of PICI and WELCOMES the ONE Africa Network Initiative aimed at reducing the costs of electronic communications within regions and ultimately across the continent. IN THIS RESPECT, RECOMMENDS Member States to adopt and roll-out this initiative in furtherance of Africa’s socio-economic integration. 17. HIGHLY COMMENDS H.E. Jacob G. ZUMA, President of the Republic of South Africa and Champion Leaders for their firm commitment in promoting PICI projects as well as the NPCA, AUC, AfDB, ECA and RECs for their technical support to the Initiative. 18. ENDORSES in the context of the Dakar Agenda for Action, the PIDA Implementation Acceleration Strategy (PAS) and the PIDA Service Delivery Mechanism (SDM) developed by the NPCA and AUC in conjunction with AfDB, ECA, RECs to implement the Dakar Agenda for Action, focusing on early infrastructure project preparation and increased bankability of the PIDA Priority Action Plan (PAP): 2020 projects. ALSO NOTES the Infrastructure Skills for Development (IS4D) Initiative to enhance the capacity of the RECs and relevant agencies for the implementation of PIDA projects. 19. RECALLS the Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.540(XXIII) validating the findings of the NEPAD-ECA Study on Domestic Resource Mobilization and the related outcomes of the Dakar Financing Summit. REQUESTS the NPCA, ECA, RECs and relevant organizations to develop a common regional framework for the harmonization of policies, laws and regulations to enhance private sector financing specific to the 16 identified PIDA projects and DIRECTS the NPCA to