PSC/AHG/2(CCL) Annex 4 Page 18 The most significant of these is the Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which is so critical to the efforts being made to entrench democracy and enhance governance. Conflict is a painful reality in different parts of the continent, while a number of countries that have emerged from violence remain in a state of fragility. In addition, we have to grapple with the threats posed by terrorism, drug trafficking, illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons, piracy and other associated scourges, such as illegal fishing and dumping of toxic wastes, and the long-term challenges arising from climate change and enduring poverty. The operationalization of the APSA is yet to be completed, and we remain over dependent on external support for the implementation of our peace and security agenda. 62. Against this background, the need for continued efforts cannot be overemphasized. The way forward is clear: we need to speed up the signature and ratification of relevant AU instruments and ensure their effective implementation; expedite the full operationalization of the APSA, in particular by improving coordination among its various components, both vertically and horizontally, enhancing sustainability in terms of financial and human resources, and making the Architecture more coherent; and decisively deal with the remaining conflicts, while intensifying our efforts towards the prevention of conflicts and peace building, for, as Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, the respected Indian diplomat, once stated: “the more we sweat in peace, the less we bleed in war”. 63. Equally important is the need to mobilize increased resources from within the continent to support the implementation of the AU peace and security agenda. Clearly, the current state of affairs is far from being desirable. AU’s leadership and ownership cannot be guaranteed when an overwhelming part of the resources required for the achievement of the goal of freeing our continent from the scourge of conflict comes from outside Africa. Not only are the resources provided insufficient, but they also lack the flexibility and predictability required to sustain our efforts and respond in a timely manner to situations as they emerge. While we should continue to call on our partners to extend support to our efforts, based on the principle of the indivisibility of peace, we ought to do more in terms of financing. Failure to act swiftly and decisively on this issue will have a far-reaching impact on the sustainability of the achievements made and the credibility of our determination to play a leading role in the promotion of peace and security on the continent. The many pledges that have been made in this respect need to be followed by concrete action. 64. Finally, I cannot conclude without stressing that, although the commitment of political leaders is important, the pursuit of peace should not only be the preserve of national governments and international organizations. It must also be built from below, by the efforts of ordinary women and men, civil society and private sector: indeed, we all have a responsibility in achieving peace, and we all stand to gain from the achievement of peace. I welcome the efforts made by civil society organizations and African individuals in the pursuit of our common objective of Making Peace Happen in Africa in 2010 and beyond, and urge them to persevere in their efforts.