Assembly/AU/Dec.269(XIV) Rev.1 Page 4 Rev.1], considering the fact that differences concerning the conduct of an electoral process contribute to the occurrence of an unconstitutional change of Government; (d) UNDERSCORES the need to build AU’s proactive capacity, through a much more dynamic direct preventive action. In that connection, the Assembly ENCOURAGES the Chairperson of the Commission to make full use of the powers conferred on him by the provisions of Article 10 (2b) of the Protocol establishing the PSC and to work, as necessary, with the Panel of the Wise and other eminent African personalities to diffuse tensions and resolve crises which could lead to unconstitutional changes of Government. The Assembly UNDERSCORES the obligation on the part of Member States to provide all the assistance and cooperation required to that end. (iii) Coordination at regional and international levels a) REITERATES the primacy of the Union's responsibility in the promotion of peace, security and stability in the continent, in accordance with the Protocol relating to the Establishing of the PSC, and DECIDES, therefore, that whenever the AU takes a decision on an unconstitutional change of Government, it must do so in close consultation with the Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution as provided for under Article 16 of the above referred Protocol. The Regional Mechanisms must conform with the decision thus taken and, in particular, refrain from admitting States suspended from participating in the AU activities. The Assembly FURTHER DECIDES that, in discharging its mandate, the PSC should take into account the fundamental role of the RECs and their rules and practices governing unconstitutional changes of government; b) REQUESTS AU partners, both bilateral and multilateral, including the UN and the European Union, to strongly support the decisions taken by the AU in situations of unconstitutional change of government and to refrain from any action which could undermine the efforts of the AU and send conflicting signals to the perpetrators of unconstitutional changes; c) RECOGNISES the important role played by International Contact Groups in mobilizing the support of AU partners and the international community as a whole to AU positions on unconstitutional changes of Government, and ENCOURAGES the Commission to establish, as and when necessary, such Groups under AU leadership, in order to mobilize the broadest support Adopted by the Fourteenth Ordinary Session of the Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 2 February 2010