PSC/PR/COMM. (DLXXXIX) Page 2 to accept election results and resolve election-related disputes through available legal avenues. 5. Also stresses the need for the Commission, working in collaboration with the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), to engage with civil society organizations with a view to ensuring that they continue to play a more constructive and positive role during elections processes. Council highlights the need for Member States to undertake civic and voter education for their citizens; 6. Acknowledges the important role that the media, in general, and social media, in particular, can play in the promotion of democracy, including the holding of peaceful elections. In this regard, Council emphasizes the need to ensure that social media is not abused to disrupt or undermine the credibility of election processes; 7. Expresses deep concern over the growing tendency of external interference in elections in the continent and in ways that often polarize communities and societies leading to election-related violence. In this regard, Council stresses the need for Member States to take full ownership of, and fund their election processes using national resources, bearing in mind that elections are very critical and sensitive processes and that, doing so, will also significantly contribute towards reducing their dependence and the vulnerabilities that are usually associated with external donor funding. In the same context, Council urges Member States to make contributions to the Democracy and Electoral Assistance Fund, in order to enable the Commission to more effectively assist those Member States that may need support in enhancing their electoral machinery; 8. Reiterates the need for the Commission to ensure that the popularization, in all AU Member States, of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, is considered as a continuous process, rather than wait for the time that Member States organize their elections. In this regard, Council, once again, encourages those Member States, which have not yet done so, to sign, ratify and domesticate the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, as well as all other relevant AU instruments; 9. Looks forward to the outcomes of the planned comprehensive review of AU election observation methodology. In this context, Council requests the Commission to follow up on the recommendations of the various AU election observer missions; 10. Decides to devote a session to discuss the challenges to and prospects for peaceful, transparent and credible elections in Africa; 11. Also decides to remain seized of the matter.