Assembly/AU/6(XVI) Page 1 REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON THE YEAR OF PEACE AND SECURITY IN AFRICA I. INTRODUCTION 1. At the 15th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Union, held in Kampala, from 25 to 27 July 2010, I submitted a Progress Report on the Implementation of the Year of Peace and Security (YoPS) in Africa [Assembly/AU/7(XV)]. The Report covered the communication and outreach activities undertaken during the period under review, as well as the programmatic aspects of the YoPS Campaign. It also highlighted the contributions made by various stakeholders and the partnerships that have been developed. The report concluded with observations on the achievements made and the challenges ahead, with particular emphasis on the need for greater mobilization and ownership of the YoPS programme by Member States. 2. On its part, the Assembly adopted decision Assembly/AU/Dec.295(XV), in which it welcomed the steps taken and the efforts made by the Commission, within the framework of the implementation of its January 2010 decision on the Year of Peace and Security [Assembly/AU/Dec.275(XIV)], including the establishment of an Advisory Council and the appointment of Peace Ambassadors; expressed satisfaction at the progress made, in particular the momentum gained by the outreach campaign, the spaces opened up to enable the various stakeholders to contribute to the achievement of the objective of a conflict-free Africa, the partnerships built and the efforts made at the national and regional levels, as well as the intensification of efforts towards the consolidation of the African Union’s (AU) normative and institutional framework on peace and security; and urged Member States, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), civil society and the private sector to intensify their efforts towards the implementation of the YoPS and to fully take ownership of the initiative. In addition, the Assembly requested that I submit to its next Ordinary Session, in January 2011, a detailed report, taking stock of the implementation of the Year of Peace and Security, the achievements made and the constraints faced, and to make recommendations on how best to sustain the Campaign for peace beyond 2010. 3. The present report is submitted in pursuance of the above-mentioned decision. It provides an account of the activities undertaken during the period under review, with particular emphasis on the observation of Peace Day, on 21st September 2010, and other outreach and programmatic initiatives. It concludes with recommendations on the way forward, based on the lessons learned from the YoPS Campaign. II. FOLLOW-UP TO THE KAMPALA SUMMIT DECISION – CELEBRATION OF PEACE DAY 4. In its above-mentioned Kampala decision, the Assembly stressed the critical importance of the United Nations-proclaimed International Day of Peace, on 21st September, as a way to provide a single rallying point for the continent to show that peace is possible. To this aim, the Assembly directed that the following activities be undertaken on Peace Day: