Assembly/AU/Dec.17 (II) Page 1 DECISION ON THE PROTOCOL TO THE TREATY ESTABLISHING THE AFRICAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY RELATING TO THE PAN-AFRICAN PARLIAMENT The Assembly: 1. NOTES WITH APPRECIATION the conclusions of the meeting of African Parliaments held in Cape Town, South Africa from 30 June to 1 July 2003 and ENCOURAGES the Steering Committee set up in pursuance of the Decision taken by the Assembly in Durban, South Africa in July 2002, to pursue its endeavours aimed at speeding up the process of ratification of the Protocol by Member States; 2. UNDERSCORES the urgency of the entry into force of the Protocol to the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community relating to the Pan-African Parliament and the importance of setting up this organ which will ensure the effective and full participation of African peoples in the development and integration of the Continent; 3. COMMENDS Member States which have already deposited the instruments of ratification of the Protocol; 4. URGES all countries which have not already done so, to speed up the process of signing and ratifying the Protocol by 31 December 2003 if possible to enable the Protocol to enter into force, and the Parliament to meet before January 31st 2004; 5. REQUESTS the Commission to pursue the efforts already initiated to obtain very rapidly the requisite number of ratifications for the entry into force of the Protocol, thereby making this instrument operational; 6. NOTES that the Protocol will come into force 30 days after the deposit of the instruments of ratification by a simple majority of the Member States; 7. MANDATES the Chairperson of the Union, in consultation with the Commission, to determine the beginning of the first term of office of the Pan-African Parliament in terms of Article 5 (2) of the Protocol as soon as the Protocol comes into force.