Assembly/AU/Dec.644(XXIX) Page 2 Sudanese stakeholders to ensure its inclusivity, independence and impartiality; COMMENDS the AU High Representative for South Sudan, former President Alpha Oumar Konaré, for his efforts to assist the South Sudanese stakeholders to address their challenges through constructive engagement, as agreed by the AU, the UN and IGAD at the meeting of 29 January 2017, and UNDERSCORES the need for continued formal engagement by the three institutions; ENDORSES the decisions of the 31st IGAD Extraordinary Summit held on 12 June 2017, in particular the urgent convening of the High Level Revitalisation Forum of the Peace Agreement; in this regard, COMMENDS the efforts of President Yoweri Museveni and the Government of Uganda to address the challenges in South Sudan; CALLS UPON the government forces and armed groups to lay down their arms and engage in a constructive political process to address the root causes of the challenges facing South Sudan; EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN over the humanitarian situation in South Sudan and URGES the international community to provide the necessary assistance to the needy people in South Sudan and the neighbouring countries; in this regard, CALLS ON the Transitional Government of National Unity, the SPLM-IO and all armed groups to observe strictly International Humanitarian Law with regard to humanitarian agencies and workers, with a view to creating or facilitating access and delivery of the humanitarian assistance to the population in need; 5. WELCOMES the significant improvements noted in the political and security situation in Darfur, as well as the outcome of the National Dialogue and the formation of a new Government of National Unity, and URGES the Sudanese authorities to continue their outreach efforts; TAKES NOTE of the recommendations of the AU-UN Joint Strategic Review Report on the withdrawal and reconfiguration of the UNAMID forces and STRESSES that the process should be carried out in a gradual and smooth manner, to ensure that the civilian population is not exposed to danger; UNDERLINES the need for the international community to extend the necessary support to the Government of Sudan in its efforts towards post-conflict reconstruction in Darfur, in particular in the areas to be vacated by UNAMID; in particular, TAKES NOTE of the steps already taken by the United Sates to ease the sanctions regime imposed to Sudan, and LOOKS FORWARD for their complete lifting by the 12 July 2017 review; furthermore, COMMENDS the AU High-Level Implementation Panel for its relentless efforts to assist the Sudanese to reach peaceful solutions to their various challenges, and ENCOURAGES it to continue to foster an inclusive process to help the next stages of the peace process; STRONGLY URGES all armed movements to engage, in the negotiations process without further delay,; 6. COMMENDS the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan for reaching agreements on the operationalization of the Joint Border Verification and Monitoring Mechanism (JBVMM); in this regard, CALLS for the urgent convening, without pre-conditions, of the postponed meeting of the Joint Security Committee (JSC), in order to address the outstanding issues between the two countries and URGES Sudan and South Sudan to hold more regular meetings of