Comunicado de Imprensa
O Ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros e Cooperação, Oldemiro Baloi, participa no dia 25 de Julho de 2008, em Lisboa, na VII Conferência dos Chefes de Estado e de Governo da Comunidade de Países de Língua Portuguesa (CPLP), em representação do Presidente da República de Moçambique, Armando Emílio Guebuza.
Comunicado de Imprensa
Realiza-se em Maputo de 20 a 22 de Agosto de 2008 a 5ª Sessão da Comissão de Cooperação entre a República de Moçambique e a República da Africa do Sul. Nos dias 20 e 21 de Agosto realiza-se-ão as reuniões preparatórias, a nível técnico. A Sessão Ministerial terá lugar no dia 22 de Agosto.
Comunicado de Imprensa
Sua Excelência Oldemiro Balói, Ministro dos Negócios Estrangeiros e Cooperação vai realizar, de 20 a 22 de Outubro de 2008, uma visita oficial a Portugal, a convite do seu homólogo português Dr. Luís Amado.
African Union & NEPAD
THE AFRICAN UNION African Union in a nutshell Quest for Unity Advent of the AU Vision of the AU Objectives of the AU Organs of the AU Financial Institutions AU Commission Constitutive Act of the African Union Regional Economic Communities (REC’s) NEW PARTNERSHIP FOR AFRICA’S DEVELOPMENT (NEPAD) NEPAD in Brief An Overview of NEPAD Historical Overview Official NEPAD Documentation African Peer Review Mechanism
Historical Overview of NEPAD
A: BACKGROUND: The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a holistic, integrated sustainable development initiative for the economic and social revival of Africa involving a constructive partnership between Africa and the developed world. It is a pledge by African leaders, based on a common vision and a firm and shared conviction that they have a pressing duty to eradicate poverty and to place their countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development and, at the same time, to participate actively in the world economy and body politic. The initiative is anchored on the determination of Africans to extricate themselves and the continent from the malaise of underdevelopment and exclusion in a globalising world. It is a call for a new relationship of partnership between Africa and the international community to overcome the development chasm. The partnership is to be founded on a realisation of common interest, obligations, commitments, benefit and equality. The initiative is premised on African states making commitments to good governance, democracy and human rights, while endeavouring to prevent and resolve situations of conflict and instability on the continent. Coupled to these efforts to create conditions conducive for investment, growth and development are initiatives to raise the necessary resources to address the development chasm in critical sectors that are highlighted in the Programme of Action, such as infrastructure, education, health, agriculture and ICT. Resources will be mobilised by way of increasing savings and capital inflows via further debt relief, increased targeted ODA flows and private capital. There will be an emphasis on the better management of public revenue and expenditure. The founding document of the NEPAD contains both a strategic policy framework and a Programme of Action. The NEPAD offers a historic opportunity for the advanced countries of the world to enter into a genuine partnership with Africa, based on mutual interests and benefit, shared commitment and binding agreement, under African leadership. In proposing the partnership, Africa recognises that it holds the key to its own development. The adoption of a development strategy, together with a detailed programme of action marks the beginning of a new phase in the partnership and cooperation between Africa and the developed world, including multilateral organisations. B: RATIONALE FOR THE NEPAD: The idea of developing a new Agenda for African Recovery dates back to 1999. President T Mbeki, President O Obasanjo and President A Bouteflika, as leaders of three major organisations representing the interests of Africa and the South, found themselves in a unique position to put Africa’s case to the global community. They realised that Africa has been reacting for too long to ideas and offers of support from the rest of the world, without developing and articulating its own vision and programme of action. Africa has produced a variety of initiatives and programmes of action in the past, in particular the Lagos Plan of Action and the Abuja Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community. However, for a variety of reasons, including timing, a lack of capacity and resources, a lack of political will and the interference of outside interests in the Cold War era, the plans failed in their implementation. A convergence of favourable circumstances within the continent and internationally provides the ideal opportunity now to take the existing plans, eg for economic integration, forward within the context of a new initiative developed by Africans for Africans. Faced with the challenge of addressing poverty and underdevelopment, both in their respective countries and on the continent, and with demands to address world forums on African issues, the Presidents resolved to request the OAU to mandate them to prepare a comprehensive development programme that could serve as a foundation for the regeneration of the continent and the forging of a new partnership with the rest of the world, more specifically the industrialised countries and multilateral organisations. This would be a programme that went beyond debt reduction, which was the immediate trigger for the initiative. The end result is the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). C. PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE FINAL INITIATIVE: The mandate for the Millennium Partnership for the African Recovery Programme (MAP) had its genesis at the OAU Extraordinary Summit held in Sirte, Libya during September 1999. The Summit mandated President T Mbeki of South Africa and President A Bouteflika of Algeria to engage Africa’s creditors on the total cancellation of Africa’s external debt. Following this, the South Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement and the G77, held in Havana, Cuba during April 2000, mandated President Mbeki and President O Obasanjo to convey the concerns of the South to the G8 and the Bretton Woods institutions. Realising the correlation between the two mandates and the fact that debt relief forms but one critical aspect of the overall development agenda for Africa, the OAU Summit held in Togo in July 2000 mandated the three Presidents to engage the developed North with a view to developing a constructive partnership for the regeneration of the Continent. Following from this, the three Presidents raised the issue of a partnership with the leaders of the G8 at their Summit in Japan during July 2000. The work on developing the MAP then began in earnest and a process of engagement on a bilateral and multilateral level was pursued. For example, a presentation on MAP was made to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January 2001. The first concept paper was prepared by President Mbeki and was approved by the other two Presidents in September 2000. A Steering Committee was appointed to develop a more detailed proposal immediately thereafter. Each President appointed two members to the Steering Committee in October 2000. After a number of consultations with the three Presidents regarding an evaluation of past and current development agendas for Africa, the Steering Committee produced a Policy Framework document, Draft 3 (a), in February 2001. Draft 3 (a) was both a vision statement and an outline of a Programme of Action for the political, social and economic
An Overview of NEPAD
Origin/MandateThe mandate for the New African Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) had its genesis at the OAU Extraordinary Summit held in Sirte, Libya during September 1999. The Summit mandated President Mbeki of South Africa and President Bouteflika of Algeria to engage Africa’s creditors on the total cancellation of Africa’s external debt. Following this, the South Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement and the G-77, held in Havana, Cuba during April 2000, mandated President Mbeki and President Obasanjo of Nigeria to convey the concerns of the South to the G-8 and the Bretton Woods institutions. Realising the correlation between the two mandates and the fact that debt relief forms but one critical aspect of the overall development agenda for Africa, the OAU Summit held in Togo in July 2000 mandated the three Presidents to engage the developed North with a view to developing a constructive partnership for the regeneration of the Continent. Following from this, the three Presidents raised the issue of a partnership with the leaders of the G-8 at their Summit in Japan during July 2000. The work on developing NEPAD (at that stage referred to as the Millennium Partnership for the African Recovery Programme (MAP)) then began in earnest and a process of engagement on a bilateral and multilateral level was pursued. During the 5th Extraordinary Summit of the OAU held in Sirte, Libya from 1 to 2 March 2001, President Obasanjo made a presentation on MAP, while President Wade of Senegal who presented the OMEGA Plan. The work being done by the four Presidents, i.e. Presidents Mbeki, Obasanjo, Bouteflika and Wade, was endorsed and it was decided that every effort should be made to integrate all the initiatives being pursued for the recovery and development of Africa, including the ECA’s New Global Compact with Africa. In reaching this decision, the Summit recognised the synergy and complementarity that existed between the various initiatives. An integration process of the various initiatives followed, and on 11 July 2001, NEPAD (or the New African Initiative (NAI) as it was temporarily known at the time), was presented to the OAU Summit of Heads of State and Government in Lusaka, Zambia, providing the vision for Africa, a statement of the problems facing the continent and a Programme of Action to resolve these problems in order to reach the vision. NEPAD was enthusiastically received and unanimously adopted in the form of Declaration 1 (XXXVII) as Africa’s principal agenda for development, providing a holistic, comprehensive integrated strategic framework for the socio-economic development of the continent, within the institutional framework of the African Union. DescriptionThis adoption of NEPAD is considered as one of the most important developments of recent times for its conception of a development programme placing Africa at the apex of the global agenda, by: Creating an instrument for advancing a people-centered sustainable development in Africa based on democratic values; Being premised on recognition that Africa has an abundance of natural resources and people who have the capacity to be agents for change and so holds the key to her own development; and Providing the common African platform from which to engage the rest of the international community in a dynamic partnership that holds real prospects for creating a better life for all. ObjectiveThe primary objective of NEPAD is to eradicate poverty in Africa and to place African countries both individually and collectively on a path of sustainable growth and development to thus halt the marginalisation of Africa in the globalisation process. At the core of the NEPAD process is its African ownership, which must be retained and strongly promoted, so as to meet the legitimate aspirations of the African peoples. While the principle of partnership with the rest of the world is equally vital to this process, such partnership must be based on mutual respect, dignity, shared responsibility and mutual accountability. The expected outcomes are: Economic growth and development and increased employment; Reduction in poverty and inequality; Diversification of productive activities; Enhanced international competitiveness and increased exports; and Increased African integration. StructureNEPAD is structured into three components: The first component provides the preconditions for sustainable development, which are the Peace, Security, Democracy and Political Governance Initiatives; the Economic and Corporate Governance Initiative; and the sub-regional and regional approaches to development. The second component provides the sectoral priorities, which include bridging the infrastructure gap; the Human Resource Development Initiative; the Agriculture Initiative; the Environment Initiative; the Cultural Initiative and Science and Technology Platforms. The third component concerns the mobilisation of resources, referring to the Capital Flows Initiative and the Market Access Initiative. Relationship between NEPAD and African Union NEPAD is a mandated initiative of the African Union. The NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee has to report annually to the Union Summit. The Chair of the Union as well as the Chair of the Commission of the Union are ex-officio members of the Implementation Committee. The Commission of the Union is expected to participate in Steering Committee meetings. Relationship with SADCThe linkage between NEPAD and the SADC Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) was adopted by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance at their meeting in Blantyre on 13 September 2001, which came to the conclusion that, in terms of relationships, SADC is part of and feeds into NEPAD since the latter is premised on the regional economic communities (RECs). The Ministers recognised that NEPAD is a framework and process within the Union, while SADC is a recognised REC of the Union. SADC participates, therefore, in both the Union and NEPAD. To this end, by strengthening the implementation capacity of SADC, it was recognised that success in NEPAD would be enhanced. It was decided that the development of the RISDP and the SADC restructuring process should take NEPAD into account, and where appropriate, SADC and NEPAD programmes should be harmonised. SADC should also take NEPAD into account in the ongoing review of SADC programmes. Other LinkagesNEPAD has not been constructed and come into existence in
NEPAD in Brief
1. WHAT IS NEPAD? The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is a VISION and STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR AFRICA’s RENEWAL 2. WHAT ARE THE ORIGINS OF NEPAD? The NEPAD strategic framework document arises from a mandate given to the five initiating Heads of State (Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa) by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to develop an integrated socio-economic development framework for Africa. The 37th Summit of the OAU in July 2001 formally adopted the strategic framework document. 3. WHAT IS THE NEED FOR NEPAD? NEPAD is designed to address the current challenges facing the African continent. Issues such as the escalating poverty levels, underdevelopment and the continued marginalisation of Africa needed a new radical intervention, spearheaded by African leaders, to develop a new Vision that would guarantee Africa’s Renewal. 4. WHAT ARE THE NEPAD PRIMARY OBJECTIVES? a) To eradicate poverty;b) To place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development;c) To halt the marginalisation of Africa in the globalisation process and enhance its full and beneficial integration into the global economy;d) To accelerate the empowerment of women 5. WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF NEPAD? Good governance as a basic requirement for peace, security and sustainable political and socio-economic development African ownership and leadership, as well as broad and deep participation by all sectors of society; Anchoring the development of Africa on its resources and resourcefulness of its people; Partnership between and amongst African peoples; Acceleration of regional and continental integration; Building the competitiveness of African countries and the continent; Forging a new international partnership that changes the unequal relationship between Africa and the developed world; and Ensuring that all Partnerships with NEPAD are linked to the Millenium Development Goals and other agreed development goals and targets. 6. WHAT IS THE NEPAD PROGRAMME OF ACTION? The NEPAD Programme of Action is a holistic, comprehensive and integrated sustainable development initiative for the revival of Africa, guided by the aforementioned objectives, principles and strategic focus. 7. WHAT ARE THE NEPAD PRIORITIES? a. Establishing the Conditions for Sustainable Development by ensuring Peace and security; Democracy and good, political, economic and corporate governance; Regional co-operation and integration; Capacity building. b. Policy reforms and increased investment in the following priority sectors- Agriculture; Human development with a focus on health, education, science and technology and skills development; Building and improving infrastructure, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Energy, Transport, Water and Sanitation; Promoting diversification of production and exports, particularly with respect to agro-industries, manufacturing, mining, mineral beneficiation and tourism; Accelerating intra-African trade and improving access to markets of developed countries; The environment. c. Mobilising Resources by – Increasing domestic savings and investments;Improving management of public revenue and expenditure;Improving Africa’s share in global trade;Attracting foreign direct investment; andIncreasing capital flows through further debt reduction and increase ODA flows. 8. WHAT ARE THE IMMEDIATE DESIRED OUTCOMES OF NEPAD? Africa becomes more effective in conflict prevention and the establishment of enduring peace on the continent; Africa adopts and implements principles of democracy and good political economic and corporate governance, and the protection of human rights becomes further entrenched in every African country; Africa develops and implements effective poverty eradication programmes and accelerates the pace of achieving set African development goals, particularly human development; Africa achieves increased levels of domestic savings, as well as investments, both domestic and foreign; Increased levels of ODA to the continent are achieved and its effective utilisation maximised; Africa achieves desired capacity for policy development, coordination and negotiation in the international arena, to ensure its beneficial engagement in the global economy, especially on trade and market access issues; Regional integration is further accelerated and higher levels of sustainable economic growth in Africa is achieved; Genuine partnerships are established between Africa and the developed countries based on mutual respect and accountability. 9. WHAT ARE THE KEY PRIORITY ACTION AREAS?Operationalising the African Peer Review Mechanism; Facilitating and supporting implementation of the short-term regional infrastructure programmes covering Transport Energy, ICT, Water and Sanitation; Facilitating implementation of the food security and agricultural development program in all sub-regions; Facilitating the preparation of a coordinated African position on Market Access, debt relief and ODA reforms; Monitoring and intervening as appropriate to ensure that the Millennium Development Goals in the areas of health and education are met. 10. WHAT DOES THE STRUCTURE FOR IMPLEMENTING NEPAD LOOK LIKE NEPAD is a programme of the African Union designed to meet its development objectives. The highest authority of the NEPAD implementation process is the Heads of State and Government Summit of the African Union, formerly known as the OAU. The Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSIC) comprises 3 states per AU region as mandated by the OAU Summit of July 2001 and ratified by the AU Summit of July 2002. The HSIC reports to the AU Summit on an annual basis. The Steering Committee of NEPAD comprises the Personal Representatives of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government. This Committee oversees projects and programme development. The NEPAD Secretariat coordinates implementation of projects and programmes approved by the HSIC.
Regional Economic Communities (RECs)
Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)The Community of Sahel-Saharan States CEN-SAD is a framework for Integration and Complementarity. It intends to work, together with the other regional economic communities and the Organization of African Unity, to strengthen peace, security and stability and achieve global economic and social development.CEN-SAD was established on 4th February 1998 following the Conference of Leaders and Heads of States held in Tripoli (Great Jahamiriya). The Treaty on the establishment of the Community was signed by the Leader of Great El-Fateh Revolution and the Heads of State of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad and Sudan. The Central African Republic and Eritrea joined the Community during the first Summit of the organization held in Syrte in April 1999. Senegal, Djibouti and Gambia joined during the N’djamena Summit in February 2000. Others countries joined later, and still more are in the process of joining the Organization.Go to website Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)At a summit meeting in December 1981, the leaders of the Central African Customs and Economic Union (UDEAC) agreed in principle to form a wider economic community of Central African states. CEEAC/ECCAS was established on 18 October 1983 by the UDEAC members and the members of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes States (CEPGL) (Burundi, Rwanda and the then Zaire) as well as Sao Tome and Principe.Angola remained an observer until 1999, when it became a full member. ECCAS began functioning in 1985, but has been inactive since 1992 because of financial difficulties (non-payment of membership fees) and the conflict in the Great Lakes area.The war in the DRC has been particularly divisive, as Rwanda and Angola fought on opposing sides.Go to website Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa was founded in 1993 as a successor to the Preferential Trade Area for Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA),which was established in 1981. COMESA formally succeeded the PTA on 8 December 1994. The establishment of COMESA was a fulfilment of the requirements of the PTA Treaty, which provided for the transformation of the PTA into a common market ten years after the entry into force of the PTA Treaty.Go to website Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)The idea for a West African community goes back to President William Tubman of Liberia, who made the call in 1964. An agreement was signed between Côte d’Ivoire,Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in February 1965, but this came to nothing. In April 1972, General Gowon of Nigeria and General Eyadema of Togo re-launched the idea, drew up proposals and toured 12 countries, soliciting their plan from July to August 1973. A meeting was then called at Lomé from 10-15 December 1973, which studied a draft treaty. This was further examined at a meeting of experts and jurists in Accra in January 1974 and by a ministerial meeting in Monrovia in January 1975. Finally, 15 West African countries signed the treaty for an Economic Community of West African States (Treaty of Lagos) on 28 May 1975. The protocols launching ECOWAS were signed in Lomé, Togo on 5 November 1976. In July 1993, a revised ECOWAS Treaty designed to accelerate economic integration and to increase political co-operation, was signed.Go to website Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD)The Intergovernmental Authority on Drought and Development (IGADD) was formed in1986 with a very narrow mandate around the issues of drought and desertification. Since then, and especially in the 1990s, IGADD became the accepted vehicle for regional security and political dialogue The founding members of IGADD decided in the mid-1990s to revitalise the organisation into a fully-fledged regional political, economic, development, trade and security entity similar to SADC and ECOWAS. It was envisaged that the new IGADD would form the northern sector of COMESA with SADC representing the southern sector.One of the principal motivations for the revitalisation of IGADD was the existence of many organisational and structural problems that made the implementation of its goals and principles ineffective. The IGADD Heads of State and Government met on 18 April 1995 at an Extraordinary Summit in Addis Ababa and resolved to revitalise the Authority and expand its areas of regional co-operation. On 21 March 1996, the Heads of State and Government at the Second Extraordinary Summit in Nairobi approved and adopted an Agreement Establishing the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD. Go to website Southern African Development Community (SADC)The concept of a regional economic co-operation in Southern Africa was first discussed at a meeting of the Frontline States foreign ministers in May 1979 in Gaberone. The meeting led to an international conference in Arusha, Tanzania two months later which brought together all independent countries, with the exception of the then Rhodesia, South West Africa and South Africa, and international donor agencies. The Arusha conference in turn led to the Lusaka Summit held in the Zambian capital in April 1980. After adopting the declaration, which was to become known as ‘Southern Africa: Towards Economic Liberation’, Sir Seretse Khama was elected the first chairman of the SADCC.Go to website Union du Maghreb Arabe (UMA)The first Conference of Maghreb Economic Ministers in Tunis in 1964 established the Conseil Permanent Cunsultatif du Maghreb (CPCM) between Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and Tunisia, to coordinate and harmonize the development plans of the four countries as well as interaregional trade and relations with the EU. However, for a number of reasons, the plans never came to fruition. It was not until the late 1980s that new impetus began to bring the parties together again. The first Maghreb Summit of the five Heads of State, held at Zeralda (Algeria) in June 1988, resulted in a decision to set up the Maghreb High Commission and various specialized commissions. Finally, on February 17, 1989 in Marrakech, the Treaty establishing the AMU was signed by the Heads of State of the five countries.Go to website
Constitutive Act of the African Union
We, Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the Organization of African Unity (OAU): 1. The President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria2. The President of the Republic of Angola3. The President of the Republic of Benin4. The President of the Republic of Botswana5. The President of Burkina Faso6. The President of the Republic of Burundi7. The President of the Republic of Cameroon8. The President of the Republic of Cape Verde9. The President of the Central African Republic10. The President of the Republic of Chad11. The President of the Islamic Federal Republic of the Comoros12. The President of the Republic of the Congo13. The President of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire14. The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo15. The President of the Republic of Djibouti16. The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt17. The President of the State of Eritrea18. The Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia19. The President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea20. The President of the Gabonese Republic 21. The President of the Republic of The Gambia22. The President of the Republic of Ghana23. The President of the Republic of Guinea24. The President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau25. The President of the Republic of Kenya26. The Prime Minister of Lesotho27. The President of the Republic of Liberia28. The Leader of the 1st of September Revolution of the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya29. The President of the Republic of Madagascar30. The President of the Republic of Malawi31. The President of the Republic of Mali32. The President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania33. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius34. The President of the Republic of Mozambique35. The President of the Republic of Namibia36. The President of the Republic of Niger37. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria38. The President of the Republic of Rwanda39. The President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic40. The President of the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe41. The President of the Republic of Senegal 42. The President of the Republic of Seychelles43. The President of the Republic of Sierra Leone44. The President of the Republic of Somalia45. The President of the Republic of South Africa46. The President of the Republic of Sudan47. The King of Swaziland48. The President of the United Republic of Tanzania49. The President of the Togolese Republic50. The President of the Republic of Tunisia51. The President of the Republic of Uganda52. The President of the Republic of Zambia53. The President of the Republic of Zimbabwe INSPIRED by the noble ideals which guided the founding fathers of our Continental Organization and generations of Pan-Africanists in their determination to promote unity, solidarity, cohesion and cooperation among the peoples of Africa and African States; CONSIDERING the principles and objectives stated in the Charter of the Organization of African Unity and the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community; RECALLING the heroic struggles waged by our peoples and our countries for political independence, human dignity and economic emancipation; CONSIDERING that since its inception, the Organization of African Unity has played a determining and invaluable role in the liberation of the continent, the affirmation of a common identity and the process of attainment of the unity of our continent and has provided a unique framework for our collective action in Africa and in our relations with the rest of the world. DETERMINED to take up the multifaceted challenges that confront our continent and peoples in the light of the social, economic and political changes taking place in the world; CONVINCED of the need to accelerate the process of implementing the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community in order to promote the socio-economic development of Africa and to face more effectively the challenges posed by globalization; GUIDED by our common vision of a united and strong Africa and by the need to build a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth and the private sector, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion among our peoples; CONSCIOUS of the fact that the scourge of conflicts in Africa constitutes a major impediment to the socio-economic development of the continent and of the need to promote peace, security and stability as a prerequisite for the implementation of our development and integration agenda; DETERMINED to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights, consolidate democratic institutions and culture, and to ensure good governance and the rule of law; FURTHER DETERMINED to take all necessary measures to strengthen our common institutions and provide them with the necessary powers and resources to enable them discharge their respective mandates effectively; RECALLING the Declaration which we adopted at the Fourth Extraordinary Session of our Assembly in Sirte, the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, on 9.9. 99, in which we decided to establish an African Union, in conformity with the ultimate objectives of the Charter of our Continental Organization and the Treaty establishing the African Economic Community; HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1Definitions In this Constitutive Act: “Act” means the present Constitutive Act;“AEC” means the African Economic Community;“Assembly” means the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Union;“Charter” means the Charter of the OAU;“Commission” means the Secretariat of the Union;“Committee” means a Specialized Technical Committee of the Union;“Council” means the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the Union;“Court “ means the Court of Justice of the Union;“Executive Council” means the Executive Council of Ministers of the Union;“Member State” means a Member State of the Union;“OAU” means the Organization of African Unity;“Parliament” means the Pan-African Parliament of the Union;“Union” means the African Union established by the present Constitutive Act. Article 2Establishment The African Union is hereby established in accordance with the provisions of this Act. Article 3Objectives The objectives of the Union shall be to: (a) achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and the peoples of Africa;(b) defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States;(c) accelerate
African Union in a Nutshell
Quest for Unity | Advent of the AU | Vision of the AU | Objectives of the AU | Organs of the AU | Financial Institutions | AU Commission The advent of the African Union (AU) can be described as an event of great magnitude in the institutional evolution of the continent. On 9.9.1999, the Heads of State and Government of the Organisation of African Unity issued a Declaration (the Sirte Declaration) calling for the establishment of an African Union, with a view, inter alia, to accelerating the process of integration in the continent to enable it play its rightful role in the global economy while addressing multifaceted social, economic and political problems compounded as they are by certain negative aspects of globalisation. The main objectives of the OAU were, inter alia, to rid the continent of the remaining vestiges of colonization and apartheid; to promote unity and solidarity among African States; to coordinate and intensify cooperation for development; to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Member States and to promote international cooperation within the frame work of the United Nations. Indeed, as a continental organization the OAU provided an effective forum that enabled all Member States to adopt coordinated positions on matters of common concern to the continent in international fora and defend the interests of Africa effectively. Through the OAU Coordinating Committee for the Liberation of Africa, the Continent worked and spoke as one with undivided determination in forging an international consensus in support of the liberation struggle and the fight against apartheid. QUEST FOR UNITY African countries, in their quest for unity, economic and social development under the banner of the OAU, have taken various initiatives and made substantial progress in many areas which paved the way for the establishment of the AU. Noteworthy among these are: Lagos Plan of Action (LPA) and the Final Act of Lagos (1980); incorporating programmes and strategies for self-reliant development and cooperation among African countries.The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (Nairobi 1981) and the Grand Bay Declaration and Plan of Action on Human rights: two instruments adopted by the OAU to promote Human and People’s Rights in the Continent. The Human Rights Charter led to the establishment of the African Human Rights Commission located in Banjul, The Gambia.Africa’s Priority Programme for Economic recovery (APPER) – 1985: an emergency programme designed to address the development crisis of the 1980s, in the wake of protracted drought and famine that had engulfed the continent and the crippling effect of Africa’s external indebtedness.OAU Declaration on the Political and Socio-Economic Situation in Africa and the Fundamental Changes taking place in the World (1990): which underscored Africa’s resolve to seize the imitative, to determine its destiny and to address the challenges to peace, democracy and security.The Charter on Popular Participation adopted in 1990: a testimony to the renewed determination of the OAU to endeavour to place the African citizen at the center of development and decision-making.The Treaty establishing the African Economic Community (AEC) – 1991: commonly known as the Abuja Treaty, it seeks to create the AEC through six stages culminating in an African Common Market using the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as building blocks. The Treaty has been in operation since 1994.The Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (1993): a practical expression of the determination of the African leadership to find solutions to conflicts, promote peace, security and stability in Africa.Cairo Agenda for Action (1995): a programme for relaunching Africa’s political, economic and social development.African Common Position on Africa’s External Debt Crisis (1997): a strategy for addressing the Continent’s External Debt Crisis.The Algiers decision on Unconstitutional Changes of Government (1999) and the Lome Declaration on the framework for an OAU Response to Unconstitutional Changes (2000).The 2000 Solemn Declaration on the Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation: establishes the fundamental principles for the promotion of Democracy and Good Governance in the Continent.Responses to other challenges: Africa has initiated collective action through the OAU in the protection of environment, in fighting international terrorism, in combating the scourge of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, malaria and tuberculosis or dealing with humanitarian issues such as refugees and displaced persons, landmines, small and light weapons among others.The Constitutive Act of the African Union: adopted in 2000 at the Lome Summit (Togo), entered into force in 2001.The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) : adopted as a Programme of the AU at the Lusaka Summit (2001). ADVENT OF THE AU The OAU initiatives paved the way for the birth of AU. In July 1999, the Assembly decided to convene an extraordinary session to expedite the process of economic and political integration in the continent. Since then, four Summits have been held leading to the official launching of the African Union: The Sirte Extraordinary Session (1999) decided to establish an African Union The Lome Summit (2000) adopted the Constitutive Act of the Union. The Lusaka Summit (2001) drew the road map for the implementation of the AU The Durban Summit (2002) launched the AU and convened the 1st Assembly of the Heads of States of the African Union. THE VISION OF THE AU The AU is Africa’s premier institution and principal organization for the promotion of accelerated socio-economic integration of the continent, which will lead to greater unity and solidarity between African countries and peoples. The AU is based on the common vision of a united and strong Africa and on the need to build a partnership between governments and all segments of civil society, in particular women, youth and the private sector, in order to strengthen solidarity and cohesion amongst the peoples of Africa. As a continental organization it focuses on the promotion of peace, security and stability on the continent as a prerequisite for the implementation of the development and integration agenda of the Union. THE OBJECTIVES OF THE AU To achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and the peoples of Africa; To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of