occurrence data and other relevant data. 5. Member States shall strive to improve the organisation and dissemination of technical, investment and marketing information through, among other things, Bureaus and Chambers of Mines and other appropriate institutional mechanisms. ARTICLE 4 ENHANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGICAL CAPACITY 1. Member States shall co-operate in developing and upgrading the technological capacity of the human resource in the mining sector of the Region. 2. Member States shall co-operate in research and development, in particular, the provision and utilisation of research and development facilities and training opportunities. 3. Member States shall strive jointly to improve research and development capabilities in search of solutions to current and future technical and other challenges in the Region's mining sector. 4. Member States shall encourage collaboration between the mining industry and training institutions. 5. Member States shall promote, strengthen and rationalise the utilisation of existing facilities and those to be developed in future. ARTICLE 5 COMMON STANDARDS 1. Member States shall encourage the development of internationally acceptable national and regional standards. 2. Member States shall seek to adopt common nomenclature, common symbols and common colours for all published data. 3. Member States shall co-ordinate their efforts in developing and adopting common certification standards for the Region. 4. Member States shall promote the interchange of engineering, geological codes and other technical data that facilitate the application of common standards. ARTICLE 6 PROMOTION OF PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION 1. Member States shall adopt policies that encourage the exploration for and commercial exploitation of mineral resources by the private sector. 2. Member States undertake to develop a mechanism that will enable the private sector's continued participation in the sector. 3. Member States shall strive to create a conducive environment for attracting local and foreign investment to the Region and to the mining sector in particular.