A/RES/58/235 Recalling section VII of the United Nations Millennium Declaration, 4 which highlights the special needs of Africa, Reaffirming that the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa must remain a priority on the agenda of the United Nations system and of the Member States, Underscoring the fact that the responsibility for peace and security in Africa, including the capacity to address the root causes of conflict and to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner, lies primarily with African countries themselves and with regional and subregional structures, Underscoring also the need to strengthen further the political will to ensure the required political, financial and technical support critical for the effective implementation of the recommendations in all of the areas included in the report of the Secretary-General, Reaffirming that the General Assembly must continue to play the primary role in monitoring the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General and assessing the progress made, 5 1. Takes note with appreciation of the updated matrix for 2002 contained in the report of the Secretary-General2 on the implementation of the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General on the causes of conflict and the promotion of durable peace and sustainable development in Africa,3 and the further advances in a wide range of areas made since the last progress report; 2. Notes with appreciation that many strides have been made in the prevention and settlement of disputes and that there have been sustained efforts by African regional and subregional initiatives of late to mediate and resolve conflicts; Requests Member States to ensure that such initiatives continue to be 3. taken in close consultation and coordination with the United Nations in order to ensure that the United Nations can have a clear role, as appropriate, in the subsequent implementation of such mediated settlements; Welcomes the efforts undertaken by African countries towards the 4. establishment of a Peace and Security Council within the African Union, and encourages the States members of the African Union that have not yet ratified the protocol relating to the establishment of the Council to do so; Encourages African countries to continue their efforts to develop African 5. capacity to undertake peace support operations at the regional and subregional levels and the United Nations and donor countries to establish suitable mechanisms to assist African States in developing their capacity to undertake peace support operations in a coherent and coordinated manner; Welcomes the European Union decision to establish a peace facility to 6. support the establishment of the African Peace and Security Mechanism and the implementation of peace initiatives undertaken by the African Union; Also welcomes the establishment of the Ad Hoc Working Group on 7. Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa of the Security Council and of the Ad _______________ 4 5 2 See resolution 55/2. See Official Records of the General Assembly, Fifty-sixth Session, Supplement No. 45 (A/56/45), para. 67.