Assembly/AU/Decl.11 (II) Page 1 SPECIAL VOTE OF THANKS OF THE ASSEMBLY OF THE AFRICAN UNION TO H.E. AMARA ESSY, INTERIM CHAIRPERSON OF THE COMMISSION The Assembly: Considering the excellent results achieved in the implementation of the Lusaka and Durban Decisions by Mr. Amara Essy, as OAU Secretary General and then Interim Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Considering also that these positive results made it possible to launch the key organs of the Union, namely: the Assembly, the Executive Council, the Permanent Representatives’ Committee, the Peace and Security Council, the Commission and the African Court of Justice, Considering also that these results made it possible to finalize amendments to the Constitutive Act of the African Union, elect new Members of the Commission, finalize the Structure, the Programmes, Human Resource Requirements and Conditions of Service of Staff of the Commission, and adopt the new Scale of Assessment of the Union, Considering further the significant progress made in the implementation of the other Durban and Lusaka Decisions regarding the launch of other organs of the Union such as the Economic, Social and Cultural Council, the Specialized Technical Committees, the Review of the Protocol on the Relations between the African Union and Regional Economic Communities, the ExtraBudgetary Funding of the Union, the Transfer of the Assets and Liabilities of the OAU to the AU, the Design of the New Symbols of the African Union, the Revision of all OAU Agreements and Treaties, the Preparation of New Criteria for Granting AU Observer Status and the Review of the Financial Rules and Regulations, Noting with Satisfaction the efforts deployed to establish the Union, thereby enabling this Organ to be operational soon after the Maputo Summit, in keeping with the Durban mandate: 1. EXPRESSES its sincere thanks to H.E. Amara Essy for the successful and smooth transition from the OAU to the AU; 2. ALSO EXPRESSES the gratitude of all AU Member States and the people of Africa to Amara Essy for the historic work accomplished; 3. DECIDES to confer on Amara Essy on the occasion of its next Ordinary Session, an honorary award in recognition of the outstanding services he has rendered to Africa and, REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to take all necessary measures to this effect.