Assembly/AU/Dec.180 (X) Page 1 DECISION ON THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGs) The Assembly: 1. TAKES NOTE of the statement by the United Nations Secretary General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, at the Twelfth Ordinary Session of the Assembly; 2. COMMENDS and supports the establishment by the United Nations Secretary General of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Africa Steering Group composed of leaders of the major multilateral and international organizations, including the African Union Commission, to support the accelerated achievement of the MDGs in Africa; 3. FURTHER COMMENDS the President of the 62nd Session of the UN General Assembly, His Excellency Mr. Serdjan Karim on his efforts in assisting Africa nations achieve the MDGs; 4. WELCOMES the initiative of the United Nations Secretary General and other partners to hold meetings on the MDGs in September 2008 to find ways to reinforce the partnership between developed and developing countries; 5. ALSO CALLS UPON the G8 to follow through with its commitments at Gleneagles and other international commitments in order to scale up aid disbursement to Africa in support of MDGs; 6. FURTHER CALLS ON African countries to participate fully in the 2008 Review Sessions to the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus scheduled to take place from 29 November to 2 December 2008, in Doha, Qatar; 7. MANDATES the AU Commission in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa to ensure effective African participation in that important event, and to this extent facilitate the harmonization of a common position; 8. APPRECIATES the scale up efforts by the United Nations System to support Africa’s Development Agenda through such initiatives as the UN 10 Year capacity building programme in support of the AU and its NEPAD Programme;