2 legitimate interests both of States and of individuals must be taken into account; TAKING NOTE of the decisions and resolutions of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child recognizing and protecting the right to a nationality and condemning arbitrary deprivation of nationality; CONSIDERING that the prevention and eradication of statelessness can contribute to the collective effort of nation-building and the strengthening of peace and security on the continent; AFFIRMING that statelessness is contrary to respect for the right to human dignity and to legal status enshrined in Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights; MINDFUL ALSO of the deep interest of African States to regulate the status of stateless persons so that they may enjoy their fundamental rights and freedoms, in accordance with their national law and the relevant legal instruments of the United Nations and the African Union; EMPHASISING the importance of effective civil registration systems for the eradication of statelessness, and the particular need to facilitate the registration of border communities and nomadic populations, where applicable; CONSCIOUS that the history of the African continent, especially the initial establishment of borders by colonial powers, has given particular characteristics to questions of nationality and statelessness in our States that are not sufficiently taken into account by the existing African and international instruments; RESOLVED to eradicate statelessness in Africa by taking effective steps to ensure that everyone has the right to a nationality, including through the adoption of voluntary agreements to settle questions relating to nationality, the harmonisation of nationality laws, access of all to civil registration, and the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation or denial of nationality: HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS: ARTICLE 1 Definitions For the purpose of this Protocol: “Acquisition of nationality” means the grant of nationality following an application made by a person, or his or her representative, to the competent authorities of a State, in conformity with national law; “African Charter” means the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights;