The African Union
Last updated June 2007
The African Union (AU) is an International Organization comprising all
but one of Africa’s states as its members. Founded in 2002, the
AU is the principal organization for the promotion of economic integration,
political stability, conflict resolution, and unity in Africa. It represents
the new architecture of pan-Africanism - the idea that people of African
descent share common bonds and must unite to overcome common challenges.
The AU has 53 member states - Morocco chose not to be a member because
of its dispute with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara),
which is a member of the AU.
The Chairman of the Assembly of the AU is John Kufuor, President of Ghana,
elected in January 2007 for a one-year term. Alpha Oumar Konaré
is the Chairman of the Commission, and his four-year term ends in September
2007. The official bodies of the African Union are:
- The AU Assembly – the Assembly is currently the highest decision-making
body of the African Union, comprising heads of states of all member
countries;
- The African Commission – the Commission is the secretariat
of the AU, responsible for preparing strategic plans and taking actions
where common positions have been established. Unique among all international
bodies, it guarantees gender parity of 5 women and 5 men;
- The Pan-African Parliament – the Parliament is comprised of
five members from each national parliament, and is intended to perform
only an advisory role for the first five years. After that, representatives
will be elected to the Parliament and it will have full legislative
powers;
- The Executive Council – the Council comprises the Ministers
of Foreign Affairs (or other such Ministers) of member countries and
is responsible for matters such as foreign trade, social security, agriculture,
and communications;
- The Permanent Representatives' Committee – the Committee comprises
representatives of member states and is responsible for preparing the
work for the Executive Council;
- The Peace and Security Council (PSC) – the 15-member Council
acts as a decision-making organ for the prevention, management, and
resolution of conflicts on the continent;
- The African Court of Justice – the Court’s 11 judges
are appointed by the Assembly and have jurisdiction over all cases submitted
to the Court concerning the interpretation and application of the AU
Charter and relevant human rights protocols ratified by member states;
- The Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) –the Council
is an advisory organ intended to provide an opportunity for African
civil society to contribute to the principles, policies, and programs
of the AU. It is composed of 150 civil society organizations from member
states and the Diaspora, reflecting gender parity and 50% youth representation.
The AU replaced its predecessor, the Organization of African Unity (OAU).
Founded in 1963, the OAU played a pivotal role in ridding the continent
of colonial rule and provided support for liberation movements in southern
Africa. Critics charged that the OAU came to represent primarily the interests
of Heads of State, which rendered it unable to address some of the continent’s
most pressing problems, particularly those related to poor governance.
To overcome the inadequacies of the OAU, African leaders envisioned a
new organization that would be more representative and effective in promoting
economic development, political stability, and democracy and human rights.
The African Union is an aspiring union, and as such it has ambitious plans
to establish an African Standby Force, an African Monetary Fund, an African
Central Bank, and an African economic zone with a single currency by 2023.
The AU has made progress towards greater integration by launching the
African Parliament in 2004, the Peace and Security Council in 2004, and
ECOSOCC in 2005. The first U.S. Ambassador to the AU, Cindy Courville,
was confirmed in September 2006.
At the AU Summit in January 2007, the Assembly addressed climate change
in Africa and highlighted the role of technology and scientific research
in development. Another top priority for the AU in 2007 is the development
of the Union Government, a central government for the African continent.
A 2006 AU report entitled “An African Union Government: Towards
the United States of Africa” proposes a three-phase process to achieve
the Union Government. The African states, however, have yet to reach consensus
and adopt the plan.
The AU has had some successes in conflict resolution and promoting democracy
on the continent. In 2003, it deployed peacekeeping troops in Burundi
and later successfully handed over the mission to the United Nations (UN).
In early 2005, it took action to support democracy in Togo after the death
of Africa’s longest ruling dictator Gnassingbe Eyadema. On August
3, 2005, a coup in Mauritania led the African Union to suspend the country
from all organizational activities. In March 2007, Mauritania held its
first fully democratic Presidential election since 1960, an event that
marked the transfer from military to civilian rule. President Sidi Ould
Cheikh Abdallahi was elected for a five-year term, and in April 2007 Mauritania
was readmitted to the African Union. The AU also monitored the 2006 elections
in Zambia, declaring them to be free and fair and urging political parties
that participated to accept the will of the people as expressed through
the polls.
While the AU’s response to the crisis in Darfur highlights its commitment
to conflict resolution, it also represents its biggest challenge to date.
The AU negotiated an initial ceasefire and hosted peace talks between
the Sudanese government and representatives of Darfur’s rebel groups.
It has deployed a small observer mission, about 7000 troops, to the region,
but it lacks the troop strength, the mandate, and the logistical capacity
to maintain a ceasefire and protect civilians. The AU will likely continue
to extend the mandate of its mission, but the need for a more robust international
intervention in Darfur, such as that authorized by UN Resolution 1706
passed in August 2006, is clear. In response to growing international
pressure, Sudan has stated its agreement to a hybrid force of 17,000 to
19,000 UN and AU peacekeepers in Darfur. If this agreement is to be an
effective step towards peace in Darfur, troop deployment must occur immediately
and without restrictions from the Sudanese government.
Another formidable challenge facing the AU is the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Africa
is ground zero of the crisis, home to nearly two-thirds of those living
with HIV/AIDS worldwide. In 2006, almost three quarters of all deaths
due to AIDS occurred in Africa; more than 2 million Africans died of AIDS
in that year alone. The AU issued the Maputo Declaration in July 2003,
in which governments reaffirmed their commitment to increase health sector
spending to 15% of all expenditures. In May 2006, AU member states convened
for a Special Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, outlining
the specific challenges faced by African nations and renewing their governments’
commitments to address these issues.
At their annual summit in July 2005, AU heads of state called for 100%
debt cancellation for all African countries. Aside from this declaration
however, the AU has not drawn up a comprehensive plan to gain debt cancellation.
Instead, the AU’s major economic program is the New Partnership
for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), which is a plan to gain increased
trade, investment, aid and debt relief. Critics of NEPAD point out that
the program aims only for limited debt relief rather than total cancellation
of external debt. At present, African countries still spend more money
each year servicing old, illegitimate debts, than they spend on HIV/AIDS
programs and other important needs.
To achieve its ambitious vision of continental integration, the African
Union must create and make effective its institutions, live up to its
Constitutive Act and place the rights of Africa’s people ahead of
sovereignty concerns. The African Union also has to amplify Africa’s
voice in critical international debates such as those regarding the expansion
of the size of the United Nation’s Security Council and World Trade
Organization (WTO) negotiations. The success of the AU mission in Darfur
is important not just for the sake of the people of Darfur, but also for
the future credibility of this continent-wide institution, and international
support for its efforts in Darfur remains critical to their success.
Resources on the African Union
Africa Action Condemns Escalating Human Rights Abuses in Zimbabwe and Calls for Immediate Intervention
April 28, 2008
In this statement, Africa Action roundly condemns the escalation of human rights violations in Zimbabwe and calls upon the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the African Union (AU), and the United Nations (UN) to immediately intervene to resolve the deteriorating post election crisis...
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Africa Action Releases Statement on Escalating Human Rights Abuses in Zimbabwe
April 28, 2008
Systematic acts of violence and human rights abuses are on the rise in Zimbabwe as the post election crisis deepens. Today Africa Action released a statement condemning these abuses and calling for action ...
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BBC Profile: African Union
"The BBC website provides an overview of the history of the African Union, important facts, and key leaders and issues..."
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Protocol of the Court of Justice of the African Union
"This document is the Protocol that established the Court of Justice of the African Union. The Protocol also outlines the structure of this court, which will rule on human rights abuses in Africa..."
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The African Union
This is the official website of the African Union.
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Strategic Plan of the African Union Commission
This it the 2004 – 2007 strategic framework of the Commission of the African Union.
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The Situation in Darfur
This African Union website provides information on the latest developments in Darfur, Sudan.
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Africa Union Watch
This website from Pambazuka News is a good resource for anyone interested in developments in the African Union and offers good analyses of AU operations.
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Q&A: The African Union
This BBC website has good information on the history of the African Union and the Organization of African Unity. It also profiles some of the key players in the AU.
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