Assembly/AU/Dec.582(XXV) Page 1 DECISION ON STREAMLINING OF THE AU SUMMITS AND THE WORKING METHODS OF THE AFRICAN UNION Doc. Assembly/AU/4(XXV) The Assembly, 1. DECIDES to approve the following recommendations of the Executive Council: i) decision-making by the Executive Council and the Assembly to be clearly delineated, and the Assembly to delegate their decision-making powers and mandate to the Executive Council to take decisions, except on key strategic issues; ii) empower the Specialized Technical Committees (STCs) of Ministers to take decisions on issues falling under their competence, except where there are attendant financial and structural implications. However, the Executive Council may, if necessary, consider decisions of the STCs at the request of any Member State; iii) the Assembly to focus on strategic policy issues such as Continental Integration, Peace and Security, Governance and Financial matters; and those decisions taken at the Executive Council are not repeated at the Assembly; iv) hold “closed sessions” meetings to discuss some strategic issues accompanied by one or more members of our delegations, as the issue to be discussed may require; In this regard, the Assembly to convene in a Retreat format to afford sufficient time to deliberate on strategic issues and to interact; v) allow the full participation of the Regional Economic Communities in the deliberations of the Summits to share experiences, successes and constraints, in the advancement of the continental integration agenda; vi) continue with the two Summits, which should be streamlined with one Summit, focusing on Policy Issues with participation of partners in accordance with the Rules of Procedure; and the other Summit focusing on the implementation of decisions; vii) the Sub-Committees of the Assembly report to only one session of the Assembly in a year; and the membership of these Sub-Committees to rotate within 2 – 3 years cycle to allow for burden sharing; viii) the Opening Sessions of the Assembly be conducted in a business-like manner and in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, with only the Secretary General of the United Nations and the President of the State of Palestine based on historical African solidarity with their struggle, being allowed to address the Assembly in person; within that context, other Invited Guests should be provided with alternative platforms, other