The Prohibition of Torture and Ill-treatment in the African Human Rights System: A HANDBOOK FOR VICTIMS AND THEIR ADVOCATES OAU Assembly, and the Assembly without fail approved the resolutions as part of the larger reports. It is not clear on what basis the Commission has included country-specific resolutions in its Activity Reports. They are adopted as part of the Commission’s promotional mandate, and the publication of resolutions therefore does not depend on ‘authorisation’ by the Assembly. Viewed in this light, the resolutions have been included merely as a courtesy, to provide the Assembly with a full picture of the Commission’s work. In its response to the Commission’s Nineteenth Activity Report, however, the AU Assembly decided that the Commission must first provide a period of three months to the States concerned to allow them to present their views on the resolutions. In addition, the AU Assembly called on the African Commission to ‘ensure that in future, it enlists the responses of all States Parties to its resolutions and decisions before submitting them to the Executive Council and/or the Assembly for consideration’. Governments argued that the resolutions, even if they purport to be part of the Commission’s promotional mandate, amounted to protective measures. Under the guise of promotional resolutions, the argument continued, the Commission engages in findings of fact and law that amount to findings (‘decisions’) of violations under the Charter. The substantive basis for the Assembly decision is not clear, and should be viewed as a procedural matter. When the State responded, the resolutions and the State response were included in the Commission’s Twentieth Activity Report.577 Resolutions are also available online through the website of the African Commission.578 XVI. Promotional Visits As has been pointed out, the promotional role of the Commission is crucial to its impact and effectiveness. To accomplish this part of its mandate, the Commission members divide the 53 States parties to the Charter among themselves and undertake occasional visits to these States. The purpose of these missions is to promote further ratification and implementation of the Charter, as well as to encourage States that are delayed in their reporting or have failed to submit any report to do so.579 Despite financial and logistical constraints, Commissioners have made over forty visits. The current country assignments follow:580 577 ACHPR, 20th Activity Report, EX.CL/279 (IX), adopted at 9th Ordinary Session of AU Executive Council (25 – 29 June 2006). 578 Resolutions are available online via the ACHPR website at: http://www.achpr.org/search/?t=841. 579 For further information regarding missions see: http://www.achpr.org/mission-reports/about/... 580 ACHPR’s website, “About ACHPR”. Retrieved from: http://www.achpr.org/about/. 134