ASS/AU/Dec. 5 (I) Page 2 TAKING NOTE of the emergence of new actors on the political, social and economic scene of our respective countries, whose participation would be crucial in the reduction of poverty, promotion of sustainable development and strengthening of good governance, MINDFUL of the fact that Capacity Building constitutes a vital link that is missing in the implementation of effective development strategies in Africa, CONVINCED that capacity building in our respective countries and within the regional organizations will guarantee peace and security, and make it possible to attain high growth rates, ANXIOUS to preserve our attachment to the development and utilization of the continent’s human resources for the general well? being of our peoples in all areas of human endeavour, ALSO COGNIZANT of the need for all African States and international organizations operating in Africa to strengthen coordination and harmonization of their activities and enhance development for the benefit of our Member States, NOTING that efforts so far made in the area of subregional and regional cooperation have produced encouraging results as far as the continent’s socio? economic development is concerned, CONSIDERING the tremendous results already achieved by multilateral institutions, particularly African? based institutions, notably the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), in the area of socio?economic policy analysis development and development management on the Continent, DESIROUS to pursue such efforts, as evidenced by the establishment of the African Development Forum which brings together all the stakeholders with a view to reaching a consensus on Africa’s development policies and priorities; the creation of the Joint African Institute whose role is to train officials from Member States in financial and economic matters, as well as in other development matters; and the implementation of the Capacity Building partnership in Africa (PACT) which offers a new framework for the provision by the international community for additional resources for Capacity Building on the continent,