Assembly/AU/Dec.71 (IV) DECISION ON THE DRAFT AFRICAN UNION NON-AGGRESSION AND COMMON DEFENCE PACT The Assembly: 1. EXPRESSES APPRECIATION to the President of Ghana in his capacity as Chairperson and other members of the Committee of Heads of State and Government, established by the Third Ordinary Session of the Assembly, to consider the issues of Non-Aggression, Common Defence and Common Security; 2. UNDERSCORES the importance of the Pact as an instrument to reinforce cooperation among Member States in the areas of defence and security, and particularly, to strengthen the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution; 3. DECIDES to adopt the Draft African Union Non-Aggression and Common Defence Pact as amended by the Assembly; 4. CALLS UPON Member States to sign, ratify or accede to the Pact, as soon as possible to enable its early entry into force.