Backgrounder: AU, From & Beyond OAU

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, July 03, 2002

Backgrounder: AU, From & Beyond OAU

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African leaders will gather in South Africa on July 8-10 to officially launch the African Union (AU), a move to foster Africa's integration with the theme for the first AU summit to be "Peace, Development and Prosperity: The African Century".

The transition from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the AU is actually a problem-solving approach.

Whereas the OAU was in principle a political organization that also discussed matters of economic and social concern, the AU is constructed to be an organization aimed at economic integration and social development, which should lead to political unity.

The OAU has served its mission which was proud of winning the independence of Africa but shy of gaining economic and social development since the independence.

So it is due for replacement by a structure geared towards addressing the current needs of the continent, with the greatest challenge placing upon the economic front.

In addition, a new structure is needed that will be able to deal effectively with the political challenges of peace, stabilityand security issues.

The making of the AU are already making a step beyond the old: wide and broad participation is encouraged; regional economic communities are invited to implement mechanisms for the programs of the AU; agreement is reached to intervene in member states under specific circumstances; and the creation of the Permanent Representatives Committee allows for an interactivity not previously experienced.

From the OAU to the AU outlines the 39-year development of the continent which is facing the challenge of new millennium and globalization.

The OAU was established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, on signature of the OAU Charter by representatives of 32 governments. A further 21 states have joined gradually over the years, with South Africa becoming the 53rd member in 1994.

As early as 1979 the Committee on the Review of the Charter was established to amend the OAU Charter in order to streamline the organization to gear it more accurately for the challenges of a changing world.

As a result, the OAU established the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution and the African Economic Community which was to be set up through a gradual process.

An extraordinary summit was held in Sirte, Libya in September 1999 by an invitation from Libya leader Muammar Ghaddafi to amend the OAU Charter to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the OAU to meet the challenges of the new millennium.

The summit decided to establish an AU and set up institutions such as the African Central Bank, the African Monetary Union, the African Court of Justice and in particular, the Pan-African Parliament.

The highlight of the 2000 OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Lome, Togo was the adoption of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, in terms of the Sirte Declaration of September 1999.

Following this event, a decision declaring the establishment ofthe AU, based on the unanimous will of member states was adopted by the 5th Extraordinary OAU summit held in Sirte, Libya on March 1-2, 2001.

On April 26, 2001, Nigeria became the 36th Member State to deposit its instrument of ratification. This concluded the two-thirds requirement and the Constitutive Act entered into force on the 26th of May 2001.

Then came the Lusaka Summit in 2001 with the main objective of the implementation of the AU. One year effort is expected to bear fruits of four priority organs, the Assembly, the Executive Council, the Commission and the Permanent Representative Committee.

The design of other AU organs is yet to be finished, which includes those big arms such as the Pan-African Parliament, the Court of Justice, and financial institutions such as the African Bank, the African Monetary Fund and the African Investment Bank.

South Africa is the host country of this summit held in Durban.The country is engaged in the logistical preparations for the launch of the AU. President Mbeki is expected to chair the new-born AU.

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