Assembly/AU/Decl.2 (VI) Page 1 DECLARATION BY THE ASSEMBLY OF THE AFRICAN UNION The Assembly of the African Union, meeting in its Sixth Ordinary Session in the Sudanese Capital, Khartoum, on 23 – 24 January 2006, expressed its gratitude and appreciation to the President of The Sudan, H.E. Mr. Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, for the warm welcome and generous hospitality the people and government of the Sudan have accorded during the Assembly and its preparatory meetings. The leaders commend the government of The Sudan for the tremendous and historic achievement they made by concluding the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that brought to an end the civil war in Southern Sudan and wished The Sudan well in its post-conflict reconstruction efforts. The leaders expressed their appreciation for the initiative taken by H.E. President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir to accept the postponement of his term of Chairmanship for the African Union until 2007. The leaders consider this gesture to be a true reflection of the great sense of responsibility and leadership demonstrated by President Al-Bashir. The leaders agreed after extensive consultations that the Sudan will assume the Chairmanship of the Union in the year 2007. In this regard, they reiterated the importance of implementing the principle of rotation between the geographical regions in the continent. They also agreed to that the Central Region would submit a candidate for the Chairmanship of the Union for the Year 2006. A committee to consider the implementation of the rotation system between the regions will set out procedures for the determination of the Chairmanship among them for the coming years in accordance with the Constitutive Act of the African Union. Khartoum, 24 January 2006