This report is the first independent, substantive and public assessment of the progress of the African Union. "Towards a People-Driven African Union: Current Obstacles and New Opportunities" analyses the preparations of African Union member-states, the AU Commission and civil society organisations for the twice-yearly AU summits. The main finding is that despite some welcome new opportunities for participation, the African Union's vision of an Africa driven by its own citizens remains largely unfulfilled. Detailed recommendations are offered to help deliver on this vision in future. Published by AFRODAD, AfriMAP and Oxfam, this report is endorsed by more than a dozen other organisations in Africa and elsewhere, and is based on interviews with more than 50 representatives of member-states, the AU Commission and civil society organisations in eleven African countries.
This report is the first independent, substantive and public assessment of the progress of the African Union. "Towards a People-Driven African Union: Current Obstacles and New Opportunities" analyses the preparations of African Union member-states, the AU Commission and civil society organizations for the twice-yearly AU summits. The main finding is that despite some welcome new opportunities for participation, the African Union's vision of "an Africa driven by its own citizens" remains largely unfulfilled. Detailed recommendations are offered to help deliver on this vision in future. Published by AFRODAD, AfriMAP and Oxfam, this report is endorsed by more than a dozen other organizations in Africa and elsewhere, and is based on interviews with more than 50 representatives of member-states, the AU Commission and civil society organizations in eleven African countries.
"Towards a People-Driven African Union: Current Obstacles & New Opportunities presents research on the preparations for and conduct of African Union summits, from some of the civil society organizations currently working with the African Union to realize its own vision. It concludes that, although significant space has been opened up for greater and more sustained participation by a diversity of interested groups, the promise of a people-driven African Union (AU) remains largely unfulfilled. Inadequate institutional capacity and inappropriate policies and procedures have hindered the realisation of the vision that the AU should build 'a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society ... to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among our peoples.' Many institutional obstacles still block the realization of the African Union's original vision. There is a growing perception among civil society organizations that the initial AU enthusiasm for non-state participation in its policy development processes has given way to a more closed stance. Despite the reorganization of the former OAU secretariat into the AU Commission, many staff seemed to retain their old habits and attitudes. There are still considerable difficulties in obtaining access to information about policies and documents under discussion by AU organs, preventing effective participation by Africa's citizens in continental decision-making processes. Moreover, the sheer proliferation of AU ministerial meetings, ordinary and extraordinary summits is taking a heavy toll on both the AU Commission and governments, according to this report. Unless Commission budget shortfalls and capacity constraints in member states are remedied, the African Union will not be able to deliver on the promise of its decisions, resolutions and treaties. The report calls on the African Union Commission and member states to take urgent action to simplify and improve the multiplicity of legal frameworks, incoherent institutional arrangements and unclear policies and procedures, and to provide more consistent and timely access to documentation in all its processes."--Publisher description.
"Towards a People-Driven African Union: Current Obstacles & New Opportunities presents research on the preparations for and conduct of African Union summits, from some of the civil society organizations currently working with the African Union to realize its own vision. It concludes that, although significant space has been opened up for greater and more sustained participation by a diversity of interested groups, the promise of a people-driven African Union (AU) remains largely unfulfilled. Inadequate institutional capacity and inappropriate policies and procedures have hindered the realisation of the vision that the AU should build 'a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society ... to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among our peoples.' Many institutional obstacles still block the realization of the African Union's original vision. There is a growing perception among civil society organizations that the initial AU enthusiasm for non-state participation in its policy development processes has given way to a more closed stance. Despite the reorganization of the former OAU secretariat into the AU Commission, many staff seemed to retain their old habits and attitudes. There are still considerable difficulties in obtaining access to information about policies and documents under discussion by AU organs, preventing effective participation by Africa's citizens in continental decision-making processes. Moreover, the sheer proliferation of AU ministerial meetings, ordinary and extraordinary summits is taking a heavy toll on both the AU Commission and governments, according to this report. Unless Commission budget shortfalls and capacity constraints in member states are remedied, the African Union will not be able to deliver on the promise of its decisions, resolutions and treaties. The report calls on the African Union Commission and member states to take urgent action to simplify and improve the multiplicity of legal frameworks, incoherent institutional arrangements and unclear policies and procedures, and to provide more consistent and timely access to documentation in all its processes."--Publisher description.
The African Union (AU) has committed to a vision of Africa that is "integrated, prosperous and peaceful ... driven by its own citizens, a dynamic force in the global arena" (Vision and Mission of the African Union, May 2004). Strengthening Popular Participation in the African Union aims to take up the challenge of achieving this vision. It is a tool to assist activists to engage with AU policies and programmes. It describes the AU decision-making process and outlines the roles and responsibilities of the AU institutions. This guide aims to help those organizations that wish to engage the AU but do not currently know where to start by providing an outline of the key institutions and processes and suggesting ways to influence them. The guide is divided into three sections: *Part 1: A description of AU organs and institutions. *Part 2: Suggestions on how to influence AU decisions and policy processes. *Part 3: A summary of the debate to restructure the AU into a "Union Government."
Written by eminent scholars on Africa and practitioners who have worked in or with the African Union (AU), this report brings together the analysis and research of 17 largely Pan-African scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and civil society representatives. A particularly timely and welcome addition to the pioneering literature about this young and potentially powerful institution, this analysis presents a positive but realistic picture of the AU while diagnosing several key challenges, including Africa’s security and governance problems.
The African Union was established in July 2002 by African leaders, evolving from the Organization of African Unity (OAU). However the idea of the African Union can be traced to the Pan-Africanist movement. Timothy Murithi looks at the emergence of Pan-Africanism and how it was institutionalized through the Pan-African Congress and the OAU. He argues that the African Union represents the third phase of the institutionalization of Pan-Africanism. The book examines the limitations of the OAU and discusses whether the African Union can adopt a more interventionist stance in dealing with peacebuilding and development in Africa. The volume assesses the African Union's peace and security institutions and analyzes how it is beginning to collaborate with civil society. It takes a critical look at the Union's New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and argues that Africa needs to adopt a developmental and governance agenda that will be much more responsive towards improving the well-being and livelihood of its peoples.
