ARTICLE 129 Co-operation among Business Organisations and Professional Bodies 1. The Partner States undertake to co-operate in promoting common measures to ensure the strengthening of linkages among their business organisations, employees’ and employers’ organisations and professional bodies. To this end, the Partner States agree to: (a) support joint activities which will promote trade and investment among the Partner States; (b) recognise and contribute to the efficient operation of federations of business organisations, professional and commercial interest groups and similar associations within the Community; and (c) encourage and promote the taking of useful decisions by the Council and other relevant institutions of the Community in areas affecting the private sector, and to monitor the implementation of such decisions. 2. The Council shall establish modalities that would enable the business organisations or associations, professional bodies and the civil society in the Partner States to contribute effectively to the development of the Community. 3. The Council shall formulate a business and business related dispute settlement mechanism. 104