THIS VOLUME, written by eminent scholars on Africa and practitioners who have worked in or with the African Union, is a particularly timely and welcome addition to the pioneering literature about our young institution. The African Union (AU) was born in Durban, South Africa, in July 2002, at a time when Africans were rediscovering a sense of pride in their continent and a desire to pursue an African Renaissance.
Therefore, we need robust scholarship that provides us with objective reflection of the challenges and dynamics of Africa’s reassertion of its destiny. As the former Secretary-General of the AU’s predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), between 1989 and 2001, and now the Special Envoy of the African Union for Darfur, I am struck by how relevant the AU is to a changing world and to a continent in transition.
At the inauguration of the AU in July 2002, African leaders gathered in Durban to announce to the world that the continent was coming of age.
First and foremost, the new Union is a re-emergence of the quest for African unity, a project dating back to the years before independence in the 20th century. Pan-Africanism was an expression of resistance against colonial occupation and it became synonymous with the common aspiration for peace and freedom. The Pan-African movement thus gave birth, initially, to the Organisation of African Unity and has once again been the cornerstone of the continent’s political collective in the form of the African Union.
First and foremost, the new Union is a re-emergence of the quest for African unity, a project dating back to the years before independence in the 20th century. Pan-Africanism was an expression of resistance against colonial occupation and it became synonymous with the common aspiration for peace and freedom. The Pan-African movement thus gave birth, initially, to the Organisation of African Unity and has once again been the cornerstone of the continent’s political collective in the form of the African Union.
The African Union and its Institutions
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Secondly, while the AU builds on the accomplishments of the OAU, it is a much broader organisation with a dynamic framework for providing vision, leadership and policy guidance, and for maintaining effective engagement and implementation in all spheres of the continent’s development. The organisational framework of the AU is closely built in alignment with the regional economic communities (RECs) such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC); the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS); the Intergovernmental
Authority on Development (IGAD); the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS); and the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU). These institutions are sub-regional structural links to the continental body and will be critical to implementing regional integration and cooperation on peace and security, as well as governance and development issues.
Yet, the operationalisation of this new continental framework is a gradual process that generates its own dynamics, while simultaneously seeking to address several formidable challenges to Africa’s peace and development. The deployment of AU forces to Sudan’s western region of Darfur in 2004 demonstrated the organisation’s commitment, for example, to managing Africa’s conflicts.
The African Union has enumerated an impressive array of institutions which, once they are effectively operationalised, will provide us with the ability to stand united. The peace and security architecture is anchored by the 15-member Peace and Security Council, the African Standby Force, the Continental Early Warning System and the Panel of the Wise. Development will be buttressed by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), while the continental legal framework will be enhanced by the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights
as well as the African Court of Justice. Civil society is a key factor in the socio-economic emancipation of the continent, and the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSSOC) will provide an important forum for engagement. The South African-based Pan-African Parliament as it evolves provides a space for African citizens to deliberate on key issues affecting the continent. These institutions, which are extensively analysed in this pioneering study, are premised on a commitment towards a renewed sense of Pan-Africanism and an aspiration towards
an Africa that is integrated, prosperous and peaceful. The old adage states that “in unity there is strength”, and this is the fundamental realisation that African leaders gradually recognised and accepted when they inaugurated the Union.
Although there are significant challenges facing us as we proceed with our responsibility to bring about peace, security and development on our continent, we are up to the task. We
Foreword may not complete this task in our life times, but will give our children and their children a much better foundation on which to advance the African cause. I therefore commend the editors of this volume and all its authors for their intellectual courage in producing this book. This is a rich volume that will contribute towards framing the debate about the African Union among us Africans. It is an important contribution highlighting the transformation of our continental organisation and an informative publication which joins scholars, activists and policymakers in a discourse that has been considered for a long time to be the exclusive preserve of governments and diplomats.
It is a must-read for all those who are interested in the evolution of the Organisation of African Unity to the African Union.
You can download the PDF file here
