Mixed feelings as AU marks 20 years of chequered record
By Story Agencies, July 14, 2022On July 9, the African Union (AU) turned 20 – and the debate about its effectiveness so far is on the table once again.
Established in 2002 with 53 African nations as members, the AU became the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which had existed since 1963. While the OAU concentrated its efforts primarily on decolonisation and the establishment of diplomatic relations between members, the AU was founded to advance the continent’s economic development and entrench lasting peace.
In 2017, all 55 member states in Africa became part of the organisation after Morocco officially joined the group after a 33-year absence.
Since its creation, the AU has made undeniable achievements including the body’s progress towards creating the conditions for member states to play significant roles in international policy negotiations, says Emmanuel Balogun, assistant professor of political science at Skidmore College, New York.
“The AU in 2022 is a key actor in the world, evidenced by recent meetings between the AU and EU, the invitation of Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to the African Union, and Putin’s invitation to AU chair Macky Sall to Sochi to discuss food security issues related to the Russian invasion,” he told Al Jazeera.
Experts also say the AU’s creation of several instruments such as the African Union Peer Review Mechanism as well as The African Union Peace and Security Council has helped improve accountability and transparency from governments on the continent. However, some analysts argue that the AU’s role in mediating conflict between member states and fostering unity remains its primary weakness.
The African Standby Force (ASF) was established to intervene in conflicts, for example in the case of war crimes or genocides like that in Rwanda in 1994, which left up to a million people dead in 100 days.
“The era of intervention and integration began with the transformation of the OAU to the AU with an attempt to answer a quest for new causes and redefining pan-Africanism,” Mehari Taddele Maru, professor at the European University Institute, told Al Jazeera. “[So] the AU came up with a new vision and mission for Africa’s renaissance.
“Two decades on, the AU is far from being an interventionist and integrationist pan-African body,” said Maru, who has previously worked as a consultant with the AU Commission. “It appears like a plane flying far lower than its prescribed flying altitude.”
Indeed, the list of current civil wars, armed conflicts and military coups in Africa remains alarmingly long. For example, on October 25, 2021, the Sudanese military took control of the government in a coup. In Ethiopia, the government has been fighting against regional rebel forces since November 2020, consequently triggering a humanitarian crisis. – Agencies