African Union

The African Union (AU) is a continental organization to which the 55 Member States that make up the countries of the African continent have joined. It was officially founded in 2002 to take over from the Organization of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1999).

Historical:
In May 1963, 32 Heads of African States who had gained independence met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to sign the Charter establishing the first African continental institution formed in the aftermath of independence, the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The OAU was the manifestation of the pan-African vision of an Africa united, free and in full possession of its own destiny and this was solemnly enshrined in the OAU Charter in which the founding fathers recognized that freedom , equality, justice and dignity were the essential objectives for the realization of the legitimate aspirations of the African peoples and that it was necessary to promote understanding among the African peoples and improve cooperation among African States in response to the aspirations of Africans for solidarity and fraternity, in a greater unity going beyond ethnic differences and national differences. The guiding philosophy was that of Pan-Africanism centered on African socialism and promoting African unity, the communal practices and characteristics of African communities, and a campaign to embrace the culture and common heritage of Africa. 'Africa

The primary objectives of the OAU were to rid the continent of the remnants of colonization and apartheid; to promote unity and solidarity among African States; to coordinate and intensify development cooperation; to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States and to promote international cooperation. The OAU Charter stated the purpose of the Organization, namely:

promoting the unity and solidarity of African States;
coordination and intensification of cooperation and efforts to provide a better life for the people of Africa;
the defense of national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity;
the eradication of all forms of colonialism in Africa; And
the promotion of international cooperation, taking due account of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Through the OAU Coordinating Committee for the Liberation of Africa, the Continent has worked and spoken with one determined and firm voice to build international consensus in favor of support for the liberation struggle and struggle against apartheid. The OAU then offered a real framework which enabled all the Member States to adopt, within the framework of international forums, coordinated positions on the concerns common to the whole continent and to effectively defend the interests of Africa.

On September 9, 1999, the Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) signed the Sirte Declaration which called with all its wishes for the creation of an African Union, envisaging the acceleration of the continental integration process that will enable Africa to play its rightful role in the global economy, while facing a variety of social, economic and political issues that become complex as they are taken into account certain negative aspects of globalization.

The creation of the African Union:
The African Union (AU) was officially established in July 2002 in Durban, South Africa, following a decision taken in September 1999 by the pioneering organization, the OAU to set up a new continental organization at the effect of consolidating its achievements. The decision to create a new pan-African organization was the result of a consensus reached by African leaders to mobilize Africa's potential, thus creating the need to divert attention away from the objectives of elimination of colonialism and apartheid, on which the OAU had focused, to bring it back towards increased cooperation and integration of African states and make it the engine of Africa's growth and economic development.

The AU is part of the vision “of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, led by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force on the international scene”.

The Constitutive Act of the African Union and the Protocol on Amendments to the Constitutive Act of the African Union set out the objectives of the AU, which are to:

achieve greater unity and solidarity among African countries and among the peoples of Africa;
defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States;
accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent;
promote and defend common African positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples;
Encourages international cooperation
promote peace, security and stability on the continent;
promote democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance;
promote and protect human and peoples' rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and other relevant human rights instruments;
create the appropriate conditions for the continent to play its proper role in the global economy and in international negotiations;
promote sustainable economic, social and cultural development, as well as the integration of African economies;
to promote cooperation in all fields of human activity with a view to raising the standard of living of the African peoples;
coordinate and harmonize policies between existing and future regional economic communities with a view to the gradual achievement of the objectives of the Union;
accelerate the development of the continent by promoting research in all fields, particularly in science and technology;
work in concert with relevant international partners towards the eradication of preventable diseases and the promotion of health on the continent;
ensure the participation of women in the decision-making process, particularly in the political, economic and socio-cultural fields;
develop and promote common policies on trade, defense and foreign relations with a view to ensuring the defense of the continent and the strengthening of its negotiating positions;
invite and encourage the effective participation of Africans in the Diaspora, as an important part of our continent, in the construction of the African Union.
The activities of the AU are implemented through several main decision-making bodies: The Assembly of Heads of State and Government, Executive Council, Committee of Permanent Representatives (PRC), Specialized Technical Committees (STCs) , Peace and Security Council and the African Union Commission. The structure of the AU promotes the participation of African citizens and civil society through the Pan-African Parliament and the Economic, Social & Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) of the African Union.

Organs dealing with judicial and legal matters as well as human rights include:- the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (quasi-judicial ACHPR), the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (AfCHPR-Judicial), the African Union Commission on International Law (AUCIL), the African Union Advisory Board on Corruption (AUAC) and the African Committee of Experts on Rights and Welfare of the child (CAEDBE-quasi-judicial). The AU is also working towards the establishment of continental financial institutions (the African Central Bank (ACB), the African Monetary Fund (AMF) and the African Investment Bank (AIB))

The Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the African Peer Review Mechanism are also among the bodies that make up the structure of the African Union.

To ensure the achievement of its objectives and the pan-African vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, Agenda 2063 was developed as a strategic framework for inclusive socio-economic transformation. of Africa. Agenda 2063 demands greater collaboration and support for African-led initiatives to ensure that the aspirations of African people are met.