Assembly/AU/Decl. 1 (V) Page 2 We therefore resolve to: 1. Redouble our efforts at the national, regional, continental and international levels and to strengthen interstate cooperation and joint activities toward meeting the MDGs by the target deadline; 2. Enhance investment and development in Africa by promoting peace and security and create a conducive environment by ensuring good governance in our countries through: a. strengthening and ensuring that regional and continental mechanisms, in particular, the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union play a central role in bringing about peace, security and stability on the continent; b. addressing conflict and political instability on the continent, with the aim of achieving a conflict-free Africa by 2010 by prioritizing and allocating more resources to conflict prevention and post-conflict reconstruction and peace-building and to fully collaborate with regional and continental mechanisms, to ensure the speedy operationalization of the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS) and the African Stand-by Force (ASF); c. becoming parties to regional, continental and international instruments relating to the prevention and combating of terrorism, transnational organized crimes, drug trafficking, the illicit trade in and proliferation of small arms and light weapons and landmines, corruption and money laundering and ensuring the effective implementation of such instruments; and d. deepening transparency and effective participatory forms of governance and strengthening democratic institutions and processes in our countries. We URGE all Member States of the Union to join, as a matter of priority, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as soon as possible and to strengthen the APRM process for its efficient performance. 3. Continue to develop and effectively implement economic and social policies which are of benefit to the poor segment of the population through: a) adopting employment-oriented and poverty reduction strategies, in particular the creation of decent work for the youth; b) promoting rural economy and agriculture to raise the level of productivity, improve food security and enhance living conditions in rural Africa; c) promoting the private sector, with particular emphasis on small and medium-scale enterprises;