A/RES/59/254 Partnership, and in this regard welcomes the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, adopted by the African Union at its third ordinary session in Addis Ababa from 6 to 8 July 2004, 5 and encourages the African countries to track progress in the full integration of women into African social, political and economic life; 14. Emphasizes that progress in the implementation of the New Partnership depends also on a favourable national and international environment for Africa’s growth and development, including, inter alia, measures to promote a policy environment conducive to private sector development and entrepreneurship; II Response of the international community 15. Welcomes the efforts by development partners to strengthen cooperation with the New Partnership; 16. Acknowledges the importance of various initiatives, such as the Tokyo International Conference on African Development process, the Africa Action Plan of the Group of Eight, initiated at Genoa, Italy, as developed at the Summit of the Group held in Kananaskis, Canada, in 2002, and furthered at their subsequent Summits held in Evian, France, in 2003, and at Sea Island, United States of America, in 2004, as well as the Africa Partnership Forum in support of the implementation of the New Partnership, emphasizes, in this regard, the importance of effective coordination of such initiatives for Africa, and looks forward to the forthcoming report of the Commission for Africa; 17. Welcomes the contribution made by Member States to the implementation of the New Partnership in the context of South-South cooperation; 18. Stresses the need to mobilize additional resources for Africa’s development through promoting South-South cooperation and trade and investment as discussed at various forums, including the Asia-Africa Trade and Investment Conference, held in Tokyo on 1 and 2 November 2004, under the auspices of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development; 19. Welcomes the financial support extended by many of the development partners to the various programmes of the New Partnership, and in this regard notes with satisfaction that some developed countries have committed resources for the infrastructure project preparation facility of the New Partnership and have provided resources for institutional strengthening activities at the secretariat of the New Partnership and in some regional economic communities; 20. Recalls that regional economic communities have a critical role to play in the implementation of the New Partnership, and encourages development partners to increase their support to enhance the capacities of these communities; 21. Urges continued attention to the need to continue to take measures to address the challenges of poverty eradication and sustainable development in Africa, including, as appropriate, debt relief, improved market access, support for the private sector and entrepreneurship, enhanced official development assistance and increased flows of foreign direct investment, as well as transfer of technology; _______________ 5 See African Union, document Assembly/AU/Decl.12 & 13 (III). 3