African Union

African Union

Emblem of the African Union

The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. It was established on 26 May 2001 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa. The AU replaced the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was established in 1963.

Objectives

The African Union aims to achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and the peoples of Africa. It seeks to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of its member states. The AU also aims to accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent.

Structure

The African Union is composed of several key organs:

• The Assembly of the African Union, which is the supreme organ of the Union.
• The Executive Council, which is composed of ministers designated by the governments of member states.
• The Pan-African Parliament, which provides a platform for African peoples and their grassroots organizations to be more involved in discussions and decision-making.
• The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, which ensures the protection of human and peoples' rights across the continent.

Regions

Regions of the African Union

The African Union is divided into five geographic regions:

• Northern Africa
• Western Africa
• Central Africa
• Eastern Africa
• Southern Africa

These regions facilitate the coordination of AU activities and the implementation of its policies.

Challenges

The African Union faces several challenges, including political instability, economic underdevelopment, and health crises such as HIV/AIDS and malaria.

HIV prevalence in Africa, 2011

Peace and Security

The AU is actively involved in peacekeeping and conflict resolution across the continent. It has established the African Standby Force to respond to crises and has been involved in various peacekeeping missions.

Map showing the presence of the GSPC in Africa

International Relations

The African Union maintains diplomatic relations with various international organizations and countries. It has partnerships with the European Union, the United Nations, and countries such as India and China.

India-Africa Forum Summit, 2008

Related pages

• Organisation of African Unity
• Pan-Africanism
• African Standby Force
• Economic Community of West African States

Gallery

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  Ethnic groups in Africa, 1996

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  12th AU Summit

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  Boulevard Mali Béro, Niamey

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  AU meeting, 2022

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