Assembly/AU/Dec.489(XXI) Page 1 DECISION ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN AFRICAN CAPACITY FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO CRISES The Assembly, 1. RECALLS the Report of the Chairperson of the Commission on the establishment of an African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC) submitted to the 6th Ordinary meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee on Defense, Security and Safety (STCDSS), held in Addis Ababa, on 30 April 2013, as well as the Declaration adopted by the STCDSS requesting a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of the challenges encountered in the operationalization of the African Standby Force (ASF) and its Rapid Deployment Capability (RDC); 2. DECIDES in principle to immediately establish, as a transitional arrangement and pending the full operationalization of the ASF and its RDC, an African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises, to provide the AU with a flexible and robust force, made up of military/police capabilities, force enablers and multipliers, equipment and resources to be voluntarily provided by Member States on the basis of their willingness and capabilities, to be deployed very rapidly to effectively respond to emergency situations, within the framework of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA); 3. DECIDES FURTHER that the contributions, referred to in paragraph 2 above, will be promptly provided by individual Member States and/or by the regional capabilities being developed within the framework of ASF; 4. DECIDES ALSO that Member States willing and ready to immediately contribute military and police capabilities, force enablers and multipliers, as well as equipment and financial resources and any other necessary assets, or make a contribution in any specific area among the above, will make appropriate notification to the AU Commission at their earliest convenience; 5. DETERMINES that this strategic endeavour of historic value and scope, aimed at helping in bringing about African solutions to Africa‟s problems, calls for continued commitment and involvement of Heads of State and Government themselves; 6. REQUESTS the Chair of the Union and the Chairperson of the Commission to undertake appropriate consultations to build the broadest possible support and adherence to the implementation of this decision; 7. REQUESTS the Commission to work out the detailed modalities for the operationalization of the ACIRC and to submit recommendations in this respect to a meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee on Defense, Security and Safety (STCDSS) to be held not later than the last quarter of 2013; 8. FURTHER REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to submit to it a report on the implementation of this decision at its next ordinary session, in January 2014.