PSC/PR/Comm(CLXXVIII) Page 2 7. At the same time, Council underlined the need for continued efforts to ensure predictable, sustainable and flexible funding for AU-led peace support operations, building on recent initiatives and developments in this respect, including but not limited to the 2nd Africa Peace Facility (APF), established by the European Union (EU) at the request of the AU for the period 2008-2010 and which comprises an early response mechanism to support preparatory steps of African led peace support operations; and the provisions of Security Council resolution 1863 (2009) of 16 January 2009 regarding the logistical support package to the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), to be funded through UN assessed contributions, and the establishment of a trust fund to allow funding to be channeled to AMISOM. 8. Council recognized the importance of a more effective strategic relationship between the AU PSC and the UN Security Council, to enable both organs to exercise their respective comparative advantages. To this end, Council expressed support to the proposal for a joint strategic assessment made in the report of the Panel. In the meantime, Council underlined the need to ensure a more regular interaction between the Chairperson of the PSC and the President of the Security Council, as well as closer coordination and better synchronization between the Security Council and the PSC in terms of decision-making. 9. Council also recognized the need to further enhance the relationship between the UN Secretariat and the AU Commission. It noted with appreciation the progress made in this respect, including the launching of annual consultative meetings on conflict prevention, management and resolution, also referred to as the Desk-to-Desk Consultation, between the UN Department of Political Affairs and the AU Peace and Security Department, as part of the "Ten-Year Capacity Building Programme" signed between the UN Secretariat and the AU Commission in November 2006. Council underlined the importance of more sustained efforts towards the full implementation of the Ten-Year Capacity Building Programme. 10. Council supported the establishment of a joint AU Commission – UN Secretariat team to look in-depth into the recommendations that have been made, bearing in mind the need to address, in a more comprehensive and effective way, the issue of predictable, sustainable and flexible funding for AU-led peace support operations, including start-up funding, notably through the proposed multi-donor trust fund, which should be endowed with adequate resources and whose scope should be broadened to cover, in addition to capacity building, operational costs; more flexible in-kind support for AU operations; and financial support through assessed contributions. Council also requested that the joint AU Commission - UN Secretariat team examine the proposal made regarding institutional capacity, training and logistics in light of existing efforts and initiatives within the African Union and between it and other partners, with the aim of complementing them and enhancing their effectiveness. 11. Council proposed that the joint annual meetings between the AU PSC and the UN Security Council undertake a regular review of the follow-up on the report of the Panel and the work of the envisaged joint AU Commission - UN Secretariat team.