A/RES/59/213 as adopted at the meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, held in Addis Ababa from 6 to 8 July 2004, Bearing in mind the United Nations Declaration on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, contained in its resolution 57/2 of 16 September 2002, and its resolutions 57/7 of 4 November 2002 and 58/233 of 23 December 2003, and welcoming the renewed commitments by the international community to support the New Partnership 7 and other related initiatives for Africa, Welcoming decision AU/Dec.38 (III) adopted by the third ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union, on the implementation of the New Partnership,5 Bearing in mind the Declaration and the Plan of Action contained in the document entitled “A world fit for children”, adopted at the special session of the General Assembly on children, held in New York from 8 to 10 May 2002 8 and the African Common Position on Children, endorsed by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its thirty-seventh ordinary session, held in Lusaka from 9 to 11 July 2001, 9 Appreciating the continuous efforts of African countries in mainstreaming gender perspectives and the empowerment of women in decision-making organs, and in this regard welcoming the Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa, adopted at the third ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union,5 Taking note of the Plan of Action on the Family in Africa launched by the African Union at its extraordinary summit meeting on the family in Africa, held in Cotonou, Benin, from 25 to 27 July 2004, as Africa’s contribution to the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, Taking note also of the Declaration on Employment and Poverty Alleviation in Africa adopted at the extraordinary summit meeting of the African Union on employment and poverty alleviation in Africa, held in Ouagadougou from 3 to 9 September 2004, Noting the efforts to be undertaken by the African Union and its organs and regional economic communities and bodies in the area of economic integration, and the need to accelerate the process of the full establishment and consolidation of the African Union so as to achieve sustainable development, Stressing the urgent need to address the plight of refugees and internally displaced persons in Africa, and noting in this context decision EX.CL/Dec.127 (V) on the situation of refugees, returnees and displaced persons in Africa, adopted by the Executive Council of the African Union at its fifth ordinary session, held in Addis Ababa from 30 June to 3 July 2004, and the conference convened by the African Parliamentary Union and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on “Refugees in Africa: the challenges of protection and solutions”, held in Cotonou from 1 to 3 June 2004, Recognizing the importance of developing and maintaining a culture of peace, tolerance and harmonious relationships based on the promotion of economic development, democratic principles, good governance, the rule of law, human rights, social justice and international cooperation, as reflected in the Constitutive Act of _______________ 7 A/57/304, annex. See resolution S-27/2. 9 See A/56/457, annex I, AHG/Dec.170 (XXXVII). 8 2