DECISION ON THE AFRICAN STANDBY FORCE (ASF) AND
THE MILITARY STAFF COMMITTEE (MSC)
DOC.EX.CL/110 (V)
The Executive Council:
TAKES NOTE of the Recommendations of the First Meeting of the African Ministers of Defence and Security on the Establishment of the African Standby Force and a Staff Committee;
RECOMMENDS that the Assembly approve the Policy Framework Document, in light of the recommendations of the Ministers of Defense, to enable the Commission and all the other stakeholders move forward with the establishment of the African Standby Force and the Military Staff Committee;
FURTHER RECOMMENDS that the Assembly endorses the proposal by the Ministers of Defense and Security to establish, within the framework of Article 14.2 of the Constitutive Act of the AU, a specialized Technical Committee comprising Ministers responsible for Defense and Security of the AU, to work with the Peace and Security Council, in the implementation of the Common African Defense and Security Policy and in addressing the complex issues of peace and security in the continent;
REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to ensure that all initiatives on the ASF are closely coordinated and in particular, to facilitate meetings of the AU and the RECs to establish multinational and multidisciplinary regional workgroups to identify standby forces, strategic Planning Elements (PLANELM) at the Headquarters of the AU and to the Headquarters of the RECs, rapid reaction elements, Centres of Excellence, regional logistical based requirements;
FURTHER REQUESTS the Chairperson of the commission to take all necessary measures to ensure that agreement (MoUs) are negotiated and signed between the AU and the RECs on pertinent issues regarding the establishment of the African Standby Force and the Military Staff Committee.