PSC/PR/BR.(CDXXXVII) Page 2 Council welcomed the progress made in the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and expressed its satisfaction with the leadership role that the AU has assumed in promoting peace and security in Africa. In this regard, Council called upon all AU Member States and the Regional Economic Communities, as well as Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RECs/RMs), to support the process of fully operationalizing APSA, particularly the African Standby Force (ASF) and its Rapid Deployment Capability. In the interim, Council underlined the need to expedite the operationalization of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC), as a transitional measure to the full operationalization of the ASF. Council acknowledged the critical role of cooperation with other stakeholders in conflict prevention, management and resolution on the continent. In this regard, Council called for greater coordination and consultation between Council and RECs/RMs on their interventions, in particular, in conflict situations and agreed to convene an annual meeting, with the view to enhancing cooperation, coordination and synergies on peace and security issues on the continent, including new and emerging threats. Furthermore, Council underscored the need to enhance its coordination with RECs/RMs and maximize each other’s comparative advantages on the basis of the principles of complementarity and subsidiarity. Council applauded its partnership with the UN Security Council and other international organizations and highlighted the need for a more effective and strong partnership and provide much more support to APSA. In particular, Council called for more regular and robust interaction with the UN Security Council drawing on the comparative strengths and advantages of the two Councils and acknowledging the primary responsibility of the UN Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security. Council requested the UN Security Council to take due cognizance of Africa’s position on matters of peace and security expressed through the decisions of the Union, in particular the AU PSC. Council also called upon the African members of the UN Security Council to assume greater leadership role on issues of peace and security in Africa. Council recognized the fact that in the past ten years there has been little interaction between the PSC and CSOs as envisaged in the PSC Protocol. Council acknowledged the need for re-examination of application of some of the requirements for the CSOs participation, in order to facilitate as a transitional measure, a dynamic implementation of Article 20 of the PSC Protocol. In this regard, Council agreed for more engagement with African CSOs and other AU Organs and determined their active participation on a regular basis for effective pursuit of its efforts for conflict prevention, management and resolution. To this end, Council agreed to hold annual consultative meetings with other AU Organs and CSOs as provided under Articles 18, 19 and 20 of its Protocol. Council called for stronger and more sustained support to countries emerging from conflict with regard to reconciliation and post-conflict reconstruction and development. Council stressed the importance of consolidating the peace and security gains on the continent in post-conflict phase to prevent relapses into conflict. In this regard, Council stressed the importance of the full operationalization and functioning of its subsidiary bodies, in including the Post-Conflict Committee.