Assembly/AU/Dec.381(XVII) Page 2 6. FURTHER INVITES the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), AfDB, UNEP and Africa‟s sustainable development partners, to support Africa‟s efforts by mobilizing the necessary resources to facilitate the implementation of this decision; 7. REQUESTS Member States, AMCEN and other Technical Specialized Organs of the AU, the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), UNECA, and AfDB, to put in place financial and institutional measures necessary at national, sub-regional and regional levels for the implementation of this Decision; and in this regard warmly WELCOMES the initiative of UNECA and partners for the organisation of the future conference on Africa‟s preparations for Rio + 20 scheduled for October 2011; 8. RECOGNISES that current institutional structures do not fully address Africa‟s needs in matters of the environment, sustainable development and climate change; within the context of revision of institutional frameworks for sustainable development, TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION the need to strengthen, consolidate and transform UNEP into an international specialized institution for the environment based in Nairobi, Kenya; 9. APPROVES the proposal that Africa be represented by a spokesperson for the purpose of negotiating with one single voice at the international preparatory meetings for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio + 20), and MANDATES the Republic of Congo to coordinate at the political level, in consultation with Member States, Africa‟s preparations for Rio + 20, in close collaboration with AMCEN and ECA; 10. REQUESTS the Commission to take all necessary measures to implement this Decision and the President of the Republic of the Congo, H.E. Denis SASSOU NGUESSO, to report to his peers, at the next Ordinary Session of the Assembly in January 2012 on the common African Position and strategies arrived at for Rio +20, for consideration and adoption.

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