Assembly/AU/Dec.454(XX) Page 1 DECISION ON THE PROGRESS REPORT ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION INTO THE AFRICAN UNION AUTHORITY Doc. Assembly/AU/8(XX) The Assembly, 1. TAKES NOTE of the Progress Report; 2. COMMENDS the Government Experts for the work accomplished to date, pursuant to the relevant decisions of the Assembly on the transformation of the African Union Commission into the African Union Authority; 3. REAFFIRMS its conviction that the ultimate objective of the African Union is the political and economic integration of the Continent with the establishment of the United States of African, as envisaged by the founding fathers of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and stated in the Accra Declaration adopted by the Ninth Ordinary Session of the Assembly devoted to the theme «Grand Debate on the Union Government» held in July 2007 in Accra, Ghana; 4. ALSO REAFFIRMS that in the meantime, the Commission and all other Organs as well as their relations with the Regional Economic Communities and other stakeholders, should be strengthened; 5. DECIDES to consider, at the appropriate time, all related issues, on the basis of all the relevant reports, recommendations and declarations, as well as decisions of the Assembly, the different Committees of Heads of State and Government, the Executive Council, and the Ministerial Committees that have considered the issue, as well as the recommendations of the High-Level Panel on the Audit of the Union; 6. REQUESTS the Commission, in collaboration with the Permanent Representatives Committee, and in conformity with set procedure, to first make appropriate recommendations on the strengthening of the Commission, taking into account the work already carried out relating to the Authority, to the ordinary session of the Assembly in May 2013.