Assembly/AU/2 (XI) Page 4 and regional organisations, in particular the African Union, in the maintenance of international peace and security and the Report of the Secretary-General on conflict prevention, particularly in Africa (S/2008/18). The Embassy also briefed Council on the arrangements for the Joint Meeting of the PSC and UNSC, then re-scheduled to 17 April 2008. 17. The second joint meeting took place under the co-chairmanship of South Africa, President of the UNSC for the month of April 2008 (accompanied by the United Kingdom) and Ethiopia, Chairperson of the PSC for the same month. 18. The meeting reviewed conflict situations in Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Somalia and Sudan. It also discussed ways and means of strengthening and enhancing cooperation between the two institutions. In particular, it was suggested that representation of members of both Councils at AU Summits, UN General Assembly sessions and UNSC field missions should be envisaged in the future. Emphasis was placed on the need to enhance cooperation towards the establishment of the African Standby Force (ASF) and the Continental Early Warning System (CEWS). At the end of the deliberations, the meeting adopted a Joint Communiqué, as attached under Annex III to this report. d) Other activities falling within the purview of the PSC i) Briefings by Chairpersons of the PSC to the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) 19. In line with the Conclusions of the Dakar PSC Retreat on the Working Methods of the PSC, the Chairperson of the PSC for each month briefs the PRC at the end of his/her chairmanship on the activities undertaken by the PSC during the month. Notably, the successive Chairpersons of the PSC for the period under review, namely, Republic of Congo, Arab Republic of Egypt, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Republic of Gabon briefed the PRC on the activities undertaken by the PSC during the respective months of the period under review. Due to the preparations for the present AU Summit, the Chairperson of the PSC for June 2008 will brief the PRC in early July 2008. ii) First meeting of the Panel of the Wise 20. Following its inauguration on 18 December 2007, the Panel of the Wise convened its first meeting in Addis Ababa, on 18 February 2008. During that meeting, H.E. Ahmed Ben Bella, former President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, was elected as the Chairman of the Panel. The meeting exchanged views on the Panel’s draft programme of work and agreed to meet subsequently to reflect further on its activities for 2008. iii) Annual Consultation between the AU, the RECs/RM for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, G8++ member Countries and other Partners 21. Within the framework of the Joint Africa/G8++ Plan to Enhance African Capabilities to Undertake Peace Support Operations, a Consultation bringing