PSC/PR/COMM.(DCCLXX) COMMUNIQUE The Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU), at its 770th meeting held on 2 May 2017, adopted the following decision on the AU Peace Fund: Council, 1. Takes note of the briefing made by Dr. Donald Kaberuka, the AU High Representative for Financing of the African Union and the Peace Fund within the framework of the implementation of Assembly Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.605(XXVII) on the Financing of the African Union, including the Peace Fund, adopted by the 27th Ordinary Session of the Assembly held in Kigali, Rwanda, in July 2016; 2. Recalls its earlier communiques and press statements on the AU Peace Fund, in particular press statement [PSC/PR/BR.(DCXXI)] adopted at its 621st meeting held on 5 September 2016 and communique [PSC/PR/COMM. (DCLXXXIX)] adopted at its 689th meeting held on 30 May 2017. Council further recalls the UN Security Council Resolutions 2320 (2016) and 2378 (2017) which laid the foundation for championing the Common African Position on ensuring predictable and sustainable financing, on the case by case basis, through UN assessed contributions for AU mandated/authorized peace support operations subsequently authorized by the UN Security Council, within the framework of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, 3. Takes note of the progress made in the revitalization of the AU Peace Fund and appreciates that from 2017, the fund received the highest levels of Member States’ contributions since its establishment in 1993 and appeals to all AU Member States, who have not yet done so, to meet their financial contributions for 2017 and 2018. In this context, Council commends the AU High Representative for his tireless efforts on the revitalization of the Peace Fund; 4. Welcomes the establishment by the Chairperson of the Commission of an InterDepartmental Task Force to drive the operationalization of the Peace Fund and the AU – UN partnership with respect to securing predictable and sustainable financing for AU-mandated / authorized peace support operations in line with the PSC’s request in its communiqué adopted at its 689th meeting held on 30 May 2017; 5. Requests the Chairperson of the Commission to accelerate the operationalization of the governance and management arrangements of the Peace Fund, including the appointment of the Board of Trustees by mid-June 2018, for submission to the Assembly of the Union in July 2018, to be followed by the operationalization of the remaining elements by September 2018, namely: i. Development of Peace Fund financial and procurement rules and regulations, bearing in mind the need for rapid action, flexibility and effective response to crises on the continent, while at the same time ensuring that proper accountability, oversight and fiduciary standards are fully met, ii. Development of standard operating procedures and manuals, iii. Establishment of the Executive Management Committee, iv. Open and transparent recruitment of the staff for the Peace Fund Secretariat Staff,