Assembly AU Dec 490-516 (XXII) _E

Assembly/AU/Dec.496(XXII)Page 28. ALSO DECIDES to adopt the 2050 AIM Strategic Plan of Action;9. FURTHER DECIDES to retain the 2015-2025 decade as the "Decade ofAfrican Seas and Oceans”, and the date of 25 July as the African Day of Seasand Oceans;10. UNDERSCORES that the 2050 AIM Strategy requires, at Member State level,inter-agency collaboration to address the challenges and opportunities in theAfrican maritime domain and enhance transborder and sub-regionalcooperation;11. ALSO STRESSES the need to build strategic partnerships that supportinitiatives inherent in the implementation of the 2050 AIM Strategy;12. REQUESTS the Commission to facilitate the establishment of the StrategicSpecial Task Force to prepare the technical details in view of the earlyimplementation of the strategy AIM 2050 Combined Maritime Exclusive Zonein conformity with International Maritime Conventions and Laws;13. UNDERSCORES the importance of reinforcing the capacity of Member Statesto manage their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) as an important buildingblock towards implementing the Combined Maritime Exclusive Zone;14. CALLS ON Member States that have not yet done so to become parties to allrelevant international instruments including the Revised Charter on MaritimeTransport;15. INVITES Regional Economic Communities and regional mechanisms todevelop and adopt a regional strategy against piracy, armed robbery and otherillegal activities committed at sea, consistent with the 2050 AIM Strategy;16. REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Union and the Chairperson of theCommission to undertake consultations with Regional EconomicCommunities/Mechanisms to spur adherence and garner the widest possiblesupport for the implementation of the 2050 AIM Strategy;17. URGES the Secretary General of the United Nations, the Secretary General ofthe International Maritime Organization, the International Seabed Authorityand the Chairperson of the AU Commission to support efforts to mobilize thenecessary resources for the implementation of this Decision;18. REQUESTS the Commission, within the framework of implementation, to carryout an evaluation of the structural and financial implications of the Strategyand report thereon to the next session of the Assembly in June 2014.