Assembly/AU/Dec.644(XXIX) Page 1 DECISION ON THE REPORT OF THE PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL ON ITS ACTIVITIES AND THE STATE OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA Doc. Assembly/AU/4(XXIX) The Assembly, 1. TAKES NOTE of the Report of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) on its activities and the state of peace and security in Africa; 2. COMMENDS the PSC, the Commission and the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RECs/RMs) for their commitment and efforts towards peace, security and stability in Africa; in this regard, TAKES NOTE WITH APPRECIATION of the intensive efforts deployed by the Chairperson of the Commission in support of peace processes within the continent; 3. CONGRATULATES President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on his election as President of the Federal Republic of Somalia; WELCOMES the continued progress made in Somalia while recognizing the challenges still facing the country; REITERATES ITS APPEAL to AU Member States and the wider international community to pursue and intensify their political, financial and logistical support for Somalia and the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to enable the full stabilization of the country, in particular for the security reform that will enable the operationalization of the National Security Architecture; RECALLS the PSC communiqué of 6 September 2016, calling on the UN Security Council to consider, following its resolution 2244 (2015), lifting the arms embargo imposed on Somalia, as a critical aspect of building Somali security institutions; EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN at the threat that Al-Shabaab continues to pose to peace, security and stability in Somalia, and, ONCE AGAIN STRONGLY CONDEMNS the terrorist attacks by Al-Shabaab on innocent civilians, AMISOM and Somali forces; FURTHER EXPRESSES CONCERN at the resurgence of piracy activities off the coast of Somalia; CALLS ON the AU and international partners to coordinate their support through the implementation mechanism of the Security Pact, as agreed at the London Conference held on 11 May 2017, with a view to optimizing the impact of joint efforts in support of the Somali National Security Forces; to this effect, WELCOMES the establishment of the AU-Somalia Joint Task Force as the best channel to harmonize support by partners; EXPRESSES ITS DEEP CONCERN at the dire humanitarian situation prevailing in Somalia and APPEALS to the international community for increased support in addressing the assistance needed by the affected Somali people; 4. EXPRESSES ITS DEEP CONCERN at the continued deterioration of the situation in South Sudan and ONCE AGAIN, CALLS UPON South Sudanese parties to demonstrate leadership and uphold their responsibility towards ending the long suffering of their own people; WELCOMES the launching of the National Dialogue initiative by President Salva Kiir Mayardit and URGES the South