PSC/PR/COMM.2(DCLXI) Page 3 stresses the urgency for an action-oriented approach to give concrete expression to the commitments made by the Member States to protect children in conflict situations. In this respect, Council: i) urges Member States to sign and ratify the main international and regional instruments on protection of children’s rights, in particular the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and incorporate these instruments into their national legal frameworks and implement them consistently; ii) underscores the imperative for Member States of enhancing good governance, democracy, education, prevention, research, training and advocacy as essential strategies for addressing and ending the tragedy of child soldiers; iii) further underscores the need to develop national action plans that will strengthen efforts towards elimination of recruitment of child soldiers, whilst also partnering with all national and international stakeholders to support national efforts by providing technical expertise and support in the areas of advocacy, policy, legal reform and programme response; iv) urges Member States to share their experiences, among themselves, in programmes of rehabilitating ex-child soldiers and integrating them into the into societies; v) underlines the need for more government commitment, through the allocation of dedicated funding towards the implementation of child protection and development programmes; vi) emphasizes the need to include negotiation on the release of all children to child protection actors/officers in the mediation efforts undertaken to end conflict; vii) requests the Commission to continue conducting regular sensitization to Member States on child rights in general, through the annual PSC open meetings, as well as focused support to Member States based on individual needs; viii) further requests the Commission to finalize the recruitment of the child protection advisor who will assist in mainstreaming child protection in the work of its activities related to peace and security, including focus on capacity enhancement and setting up of child protection units in armed forces. 11. Reiterates the request to the Chairperson of the Commission to appoint a special envoy on children, peace and security, to ensure more attention and action on issues of children rights, safety, health, education and protection, particularly in conflict situations in Africa;