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Flag Emblem

Motto: "a United and Strong Africa"

Anthem:

Let Us All Unite and Celebrate Together [1]

Dark green: AU member states.Light green: Suspended members.

Political centres Addis Ababa Midrand

Largest city Cairo

Official languages[2] Arabic · English · French ·Portuguese · Spanish ·Swahili · any otherAfrican Language

Demonym African

Type Continental union

Membership 54 member states

Leaders

- Assembly Chair H. Desalegn

- Commission Chair N. Dlamini-Zuma

- ParliamentaryPresident

B. N. Amadi

Legislature Pan-African Parliament

Establishment

- OAU Charter 25 May 1963

- Abuja Treaty 3 June 1991

- Sirte Declaration 9 September 1999

Area

- Total 29,865,860 km2

11,531,273 sq mi

Population

- 2011 estimate 1,012,571,880

- Density 33.9/km2

87.8/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2010 estimate

- Total US$ 2.849 trillion[3][4]

- Per capita $2,943.76

GDP (nominal) 2010 estimate

- Total US$1.627 trillion[5][6]

- Per capita $1,681.12

Currency 42 currencies

Time zone (UTC-1 to +4)

Calling code 57 codes

Internet TLD .africa (proposed)

Website

African UnionFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The African Union (AU, or, in its other official languages, UA) is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African statenot in the AU is Morocco. The AU was established on 26 May 2001 in Addis Ababa and launched on 9 July 2002 in South

Africa[7] to replace the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The most important decisions of the AU are made by the Assemblyof the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of the heads of state and government of its member states. The AU's secretariat, theAfrican Union Commission, is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Contents

1 Overview

1.1 Treaties

2 Membership

2.1 Suspended members

2.2 Member Observer

2.3 Former members

3 Organisations4 Role of the diaspora

5 Current issues5.1 Union Government

5.2 Role of Regional Economic Communities

5.3 Selection of chair

5.4 AIDS in Africa

5.5 Libya

6 Interventions in support of constitutionality6.1 Mali

6.2 Mauritania

6.3 Togo

7 Regional conflicts and military interventions

7.1 Darfur, Sudan7.2 Somalia

7.3 Anjouan, Comoros

8 Economy

9 Languages

10 Geography11 Foreign relations

12 History

13 Symbols

14 List of Chairpersons

15 Indicators16 See also

17 References

18 Bibliography

19 External links

Overview

The objectives of the AU are:

1. To achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and the people of Africa.

2. To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States.

3. To accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent.

4. To promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples.

5. To encourage international cooperation, taking due account of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights.

6. To promote peace, security, and stability on the continent.

7. To promote democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance.8. To promote and protect human and peoples' rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights

and other relevant human rights instruments.

9. To establish the necessary conditions which enable the continent to play its rightful role in the global economy and in

international negotiations.

10. To promote sustainable development at the economic, social and cultural levels as well as the integration of African

economies.

11. To promote co-operation in all fields of human activity to raise the living standards of African peoples.

12. To coordinate and harmonise the policies between the existing and future Regional Economic Communities for the gradual

attainment of the objectives of the Union.

13. To advance the development of the continent by promoting research in all fields, in particular in science and technology.14. To work with relevant international partners in the eradication of preventable diseases and the promotion of good health on

the continent.

African Union

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Websiteau.int (http://au.int)

The African Union's new headquarters

complex in Addis Ababa.

The African Union is made up of both political and administrative bodies. The highest decision-making organ is the Assembly ofthe African Union, made up of all the heads of state or government of member states of the AU. The Assembly is chaired by

Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minisiter of Ethiopia, elected at the 20thordinary meeting of the Assembly in January 2013. The AU also has a representative body, the Pan AfricanParliament, which consists of 265 members elected by the national parliaments of the AU member states. Its president is Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi.

Other political institutions of the AU include

the Executive Council, made up of foreign ministers, which prepares decisions for the Assembly;

the Permanent Representatives Committee, made up of the ambassadors to Addis Ababa of AU member states; and

the Economic, Social, and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), a civil society consultative body.

The AU Commission, the secretariat to the political structures, is chaired by Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma of South Africa. On 15 July 2012, Ms. Dlamini-Zuma won a tightly contestedvote to become the first female head of the African Union Commission, replacing Jean Ping of Gabon.

The main administrative capital of the African Union is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where the African Union Commission is headquartered.A new headquarters complex, the AU Conference Center and Office Complex (AUCC), was inaugurated on 28 January 2012, during

the 18th AU summit.[8] The complex was built by China State Construction Engineering Corporation as a gift from the Chinesegovernment, and accommodates, amongst other facilities, a 2,500-seat plenary hall and a 20-story office tower. The tower is 99.9 meters

high to signify the date 9 September 1999, when the Organization of African Unity voted to become the African Union.[9]

Other AU structures are hosted by different member states:

the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights is based in Banjul, the Gambia; and

the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and APRM Secretariats and the Pan-African Parliament are in Midrand,

South Africa.

The AU covers the entire continent except for the Îles Éparses, Réunion, Mayotte, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha,Madeira, Canary Islands, Spanish North Africa, and Morocco. Morocco is not a member because its government opposes themembership of Western Sahara as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. However, Morocco has a special status within the AU and benefits from the services available to all AUstates from the institutions of the AU, such as the African Development Bank. Moroccan delegates also participate at important AU functions, and negotiations continue to try to resolvethe conflict with the Polisario Front in Tindouf, Algeria and the parts of Western Sahara.

The AU's first military intervention in a member state was the May 2003 deployment of a peacekeeping force of soldiers from South Africa, Ethiopia, and Mozambique to Burundi tooversee the implementation of the various agreements. AU troops were also deployed in Sudan for peacekeeping in the Darfur conflict, before the mission was handed over to theUnited Nations on 1 January 2008 UNAMID. The AU has also sent a peacekeeping mission to Somalia, of which the peacekeeping troops are from Uganda and Burundi.

The AU has adopted a number of important new documents establishing norms at continental level, to supplement those already in force when it was created. These include the AfricanUnion Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption (2003), the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (2007), the New Partnership for Africa's

Development (NEPAD) and its associated Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance.[10]

Treaties

Signed

In forceDocument

1961

1961

1963

1963OAU Charter

1991

N/AAbuja Treaty

1999

2002Sirte Declaration

Organisation of African Unity (OAU)

African Economic Community:

Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)

East African Community (EAC)

Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

Southern African Development Community (SADC)

Arab Maghreb Union (AMU)

CasablancaGroup

African Union (AU)MonroviaGroup

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Membership

See also: Member states of the African Union

All independent countries in Africa and African waters, as well as Western Sahara, are, or have been, members of the AU or OAU. Morocco left unilaterally; four countries are

currently suspended. The following countries are members of the African Union:[11]

Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso

Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Kenya

Rwanda Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic São Tomé and Príncipe Senegal Seychelles

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Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Chad Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Ivory Coast Djibouti Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia

Lesotho Liberia Libya Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Mozambique Namibia

Niger Nigeria

Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa

South Sudan[12]

Sudan Swaziland Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe

Suspended members

Madagascar – suspended after the 2009 Malagasy political crisis.[13]

Guinea-Bissau – suspended after the 2012 Guinea-Bissau coup d'état.[14]

Egypt – suspended after the 2013 Egyptian coup d'état.[15]

Central African Republic – suspended after the 2012–13 Central African Republic conflict.[16]

Member Observer

Haiti – At the 18th AU summit in Addis Ababa on 2 February 2012, Haiti obtained Member Observer status and thereafter submitted a formal request to become an Associate

Member.[17]

Former members

Morocco – left the AU's predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1984, when the majority of member countries supported the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic

(proclaimed by the Polisario Front in 1976 claiming the representation of the Western Sahara), resulting on SADR admission in the AU.[18][19] Morocco's ally, Zaire (now the

Democratic Republic of the Congo), similarly opposed the OAU's admission of the Sahrawi Republic, and the Mobutu regime boycotted the organisation from 1984 to 1986.[20] Somecountries have since retracted their support for the Sahrawi Republic.

Organisations

The African Union has a number of official bodies:

Pan-African Parliament (PAP)

To become the highest legislative body of the African Union. The seat of the PAP is at Midrand, South Africa. The Parliament is composed of 265 elected representatives from all54 AU states, and intended to provide popular and civil-society participation in the processes of democratic governance. Its president is the Hon. Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi of

Nigeria.

Assembly of the African UnionComposed of heads of state and heads of government of AU states, the Assembly is currently the supreme governing body of the African Union. It is gradually devolving some of

its decision-making powers to the Pan African Parliament. It meets once a year and makes its decisions by consensus or by a two-thirds majority. The current chair of the AU isHailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia.

African Union Authority The secretariat of the African Union, composed of ten commissioners and supporting staff and headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In a similar fashion to its European

counterpart, the European Commission, it is responsible for the administration and co-ordination of the AU's activities and meetings.

African Court of JusticeThe Constitutive Act provides for a Court of Justice to rule on disputes over interpretation of AU treaties. A protocol to set up the Court of Justice was adopted in 2003 and

entered into force in 2009. It is likely to be superseded by a protocol creating a Court of Justice and Human Rights, which will incorporate the already established African Courtof Justice and Human and Peoples' Rights (see below) and have two chambers—one for general legal matters and one for rulings on the human rights treaties.

Executive Council

Composed of ministers designated by the governments of member states. It decides on matters such as foreign trade, social security, food, agriculture and communications, isaccountable to the Assembly, and prepares material for the Assembly to discuss and approve.

Permanent Representatives' Committee

Consisting of nominated permanent representatives of member states, the Committee prepares the work for the Executive Council, similar the role of the Committee of Permanent

Representatives in the European Union.

Peace and Security Council (PSC)

Proposed at the Lusaka Summit in 2001 and established in 2004 under a protocol to the Constitutive Act adopted by the AU Assembly in July 2002. The protocol defines the

PSC as a collective security and early warning arrangement to facilitate timely and effective response to conflict and crisis situations in Africa. Other responsibilities conferred tothe PSC by the protocol include prevention, management and resolution of conflicts, post-conflict peace building and developing common defence policies. The PSC has fifteen

members elected on a regional basis by the Assembly. Similar in intent and operation to the United Nations Security Council.

Economic, Social and Cultural Council

An advisory organ composed of professional and civic representatives, similar to the European Economic and Social Committee. The chair of ECOSOCC, elected in 2008, isCameroonian lawyer Akere Muna of the Pan-African Lawyers Union (PALU).

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Specialised Technical CommitteesBoth the Abuja Treaty and the Constitutive Act provide for Specialised Technical Committees to be established made up of African ministers to advise the Assembly. In practice,

they have never been set up. The ten proposed themes are: Rural Economy and Agricultural Matters; Monetary and Financial Affairs; Trade, Customs, and Immigration; Industry,

Science and Technology; Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment; Transport, Communications, and Tourism; Health; Labour, and Social Affairs; Education, Culture, and

Human Resources.

Financial institutions

African Central Bank – Abuja, Nigeria

African Investment Bank – Tripoli, LibyaAfrican Monetary Fund – Yaoundé, Cameroon

These institutions have not yet been established, however, the Steering Committees working on their founding have been constituted. Eventually, the AU aims to have a single currency(the Afro).

Human rights

The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, in existence since 1986, is established under the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (the African Charter)

rather than the Constitutive Act of the African Union. It is the premier African human rights body, with responsibility for monitoring and promoting compliance with the AfricanCharter. The African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights was established in 2006 to supplement the work of the Commission, following the entry into force of a protocol to the

African Charter providing for its creation. It is planned that the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights will be merged with the African Court of Justice (see above).

African Energy Commission

Role of the diaspora

The Constitutive Act of the AU declares that it shall "invite and encourage the full participation of the African diaspora as an important part of our Continent, in the building of the AfricanUnion". The African Union Government has defined the African diaspora as "consisting of people of African origin living outside the continent, irrespective of their citizenship and

nationality and who are willing to contribute to the development of the continent and the building of the African Union".[21]

Current issues

The AU faces many challenges, including health issues such as combating malaria and the AIDS/HIV epidemic; political issues such as confronting undemocratic regimes and mediatingin the many civil wars; economic issues such as improving the standard of living of millions of impoverished, uneducated Africans; ecological issues such as dealing with recurring famines,desertification, and lack of ecological sustainability; as well as the legal issues regarding Western Sahara.

Union Government

The principal topic for debate at the July 2007 AU summit held in Accra, Ghana, was the creation of a Union Government,[22] with the aim of moving towards a United States of Africa.

A study on the Union Government was adopted in late 2006,[23] and proposes various options for "completing" the African Union project. There are divisions among African states onthe proposals, with some (notably Libya) following a maximalist view leading to a common government with an AU army; and others (especially the southern African states) supporting

rather a strengthening of the existing structures, with some reforms to deal with administrative and political challenges in making the AU Commission and other bodies truly effective.[24]

Following a heated debate in Accra, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government agreed in the form of a declaration to review the state of affairs of the AU with a view to

determining its readiness towards a Union Government.[25] In particular, the Assembly agreed to:

Accelerate the economic and political integration of the African continent, including the formation of a Union Government of Africa;

Conduct an audit of the institutions and organs of the AU; review the relationship between the AU and the RECs; find ways to strengthen the AU and elaborate a timeframe toestablish a Union Government of Africa.

The declaration lastly noted the ‘importance of involving the African peoples, including Africans in the Diaspora, in the processes leading to the formation of the Union Government.’

Following this decision, a panel of eminent persons was set up to conduct the ‘audit review’. The review team began its work on 1 September 2007. The review was presented to theAssembly of Heads of State and Government at the January 2008 summit in Addis Ababa. No final decision was taken on the recommendations, however, and a committee of ten

heads of state was appointed to consider the review and report back to the July 2008 summit to be held in Egypt.[26] At the July 2008 summit, a decision was once again deferred, for a'final' debate at the January 2009 summit to be held in Addis Ababa.

Role of Regional Economic Communities

One of the key debates in relation to the achievement of greater continental integration is the relative priority that should be given to integration of the continent as a unit in itself or tointegration of the sub-regions. The 1980 Lagos Plan of Action for the Development of Africa and the 1991 treaty to establish the African Economic Community (also referred to as theAbuja Treaty), proposed the creation of Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as the basis for African integration, with a timetable for regional and then continental integration to

follow.[27]

Currently, there are eight RECs recognised by the AU, each established under a separate regional treaty. They are:

the Arab Maghreb Union (UMA)

the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)

the East African Community (EAC)

the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS)

the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)

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A clickable Euler diagram showing the relationships between various multinational

African organisations.

The membership of many of the communities overlaps, and their rationalisation has been under discussion for several years – and formed the theme of the 2006 Banjul summit. At the

July 2007 Accra summit the Assembly finally decided to adopt a Protocol on Relations between the African Union and the Regional Economic Communities.[28] This protocol isintended to facilitate the harmonisation of policies and ensure compliance with the Abuja Treaty and Lagos Plan of Action time frames.

Selection of chair

In 2006, the AU decided to create a Committee "to consider the implementation of a rotation system between the regions" in relation to the presidency. Controversy arose at the 2006summit when Sudan announced its candidacy for the AU's chairmanship, as a representative of the East African region. Several member states refused to support Sudan because oftensions over Darfur (see also below). Sudan ultimately withdrew its candidacy and President Denis Sassou-Nguesso of the Republic of the Congo was elected to a one-year term. Atthe January 2007 summit, Sassou-Nguesso was replaced by President John Agyekum Kufuor of Ghana, despite another attempt by Sudan to gain the chair. 2007 was the 50thanniversary of Ghana's independence, a symbolic moment for the country to hold the chair of the AU—and to host the mid-year summit at which the proposed Union Government wasalso discussed. In January 2008, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania took over as chair, representing the East African region and thus apparently ending Sudan's attempt to become

chair—at least till the rotation returns to East Africa.[29] The current chair is Benin.

AIDS in Africa

One of the most serious issues to face Africa is not a dispute between nations, but rather therapid spread of HIV and the AIDS pandemic. Sub-Saharan Africa, especially southern Africa,is by far the most affected area in the world, and the infection is now starting to claim lives bythe millions. While the measurement of HIV prevalence rates has proved methodologicallychallenging, more than 20% of the sexually active population of many countries of southernAfrica may be infected, with South Africa, Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe allexpected to have a decrease in life expectancy by an average of 6.5 years. The effects on South

Africa, which constitutes 30% of the AU's economy,[citation needed] threatens to significantlystunt GDP growth, and thus internal and external trade for the continent[.]

Libya

The AU attempted to mediate in the early stages of the 2011 Libyan civil war, forming an adhoc committee of five presidents (Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso, MalianPresident Amadou Toumani Touré, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, SouthAfrican President Jacob Zuma, and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni) to broker a

truce.[30] However, the beginning of the NATO-led military intervention in March 2011prevented the committee from traveling to Libya to meet with Libyan leader and former head of

the AU until 2010 Muammar Gaddafi.[31] As a body, the AU sharply dissented from the United

Nations Security Council's decision to create a no-fly zone over Libya,[32] though a few

member states, such as Botswana,[33] Gabon,[34] Zambia,[35] and others expressed support forthe resolution.

As a result of Gaddafi's defeat at the Battle of Tripoli, the decisive battle of the war, in August2011, the Arab League voted to recognise the anti-Gaddafi National Transitional Council as the

legitimate government of the country pending elections,[36] yet although the council has beenrecognised by several AU member states, including two countries that are also members of the

Arab League,[37][38] the AU Peace and Security Council voted on 26 August 2011 not torecognise it, insisting that a ceasefire be agreed to and a national unity government be formed by

both sides in the civil war.[39] A number of AU member states led by Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Rwanda requested that the AU recognise the NTC as Libya's interim governing

authority,[40][41] and several other AU member states have recognised the NTC regardless of the Peace and Security Council's decision.[42][43] However, AU member states Algeria[44]

and Zimbabwe[45] have indicated they will not recognise the NTC, and South Africa has expressed reservations as well.[46][47]

On 20 September, the African Union officially recognised the National Transitional Council as the legitimate representative of Libya.[48]

Interventions in support of constitutionality

Mali

Mauritania

On 3 August 2005, a coup in Mauritania led the African Union to suspend the country from all organisational activities. The Military Council that took control of Mauritania promised to

hold elections within two years.[citation needed] These were held in early 2007, the first time that the country had held elections that were generally agreed to be of an acceptablestandard. Following the elections, Mauritania's membership of the AU was restored. However, on 6 August 2008, a fresh coup overthrew the government elected in 2007. The AU

once again suspended Mauritania from the continental body.[49]

Togo

In response to the death of Gnassingbé Eyadéma, President of Togo, on 5 February 2005, AU leaders described the naming of his son Faure Gnassingbé the successor as a military

coup.[50] Togo's constitution calls for the speaker of parliament to succeed the president in the event of his death. By law, the parliament speaker must call national elections to choose anew president within sixty days. The AU's protest forced Gnassingbé to hold elections. Under heavy allegations of election fraud, he was officially elected President on 4 May 2005.

Regional conflicts and military interventions

One of the objectives of the AU is to "promote peace, security, and stability on the continent".[51] Among its principles is 'Peaceful resolution of conflicts among Member States of the

Union through such appropriate means as may be decided upon by the Assembly'.[52] The primary body charged with implementing these objectives and principles is the Peace andSecurity Council. The PSC has the power, among other things, to authorise peace support missions, to impose sanctions in case of unconstitutional change of government, and to "take

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initiatives and action it deems appropriate" in response to potential or actual conflicts. The PSC is a decision-making body in its own right, and its decisions are binding on memberstates.

Article 4(h) of the Constitutive Act, repeated in article 4 of the Protocol to the Constitutive Act on the PSC, also recognises the right of the Union to intervene in member state incircumstances of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. Any decision to intervene in a member state under article 4 of the Constitutive Act will be made by the Assembly onthe recommendation of the PSC.

Since it first met in 2004, the PSC has been active in relation to the crises in Darfur, Comoros, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Côte d'Ivoire and other countries. Ithas adopted resolutions creating the AU peacekeeping operations in Somalia and Darfur, and imposing sanctions against persons undermining peace and security (such as travel bansand asset freezes against the leaders of the rebellion in Comoros). The Council is in the process of overseeing the establishment of a "standby force" to serve as a permanent African

peacekeeping force.[53]

Darfur, Sudan

Main article: African Union Mission in Sudan

In response to the ongoing Darfur conflict in Sudan, the AU has deployed 7,000 peacekeepers, many from Rwanda and Nigeria, to Darfur. While a donor's conference in Addis Ababa

in 2005 helped raise funds to sustain the peacekeepers through that year and into 2006, in July 2006 the AU said it would pull out at the end of September when its mandate expires.[54]

Critics of the AU peacekeepers, including Dr. Eric Reeves, have said these forces are largely ineffective due to lack of funds, personnel, and expertise. Monitoring an area roughly thesize of France has made it even more difficult to sustain an effective mission. In June 2006, the United States Congress appropriated US$173 million for the AU force. Some, such asthe Genocide Intervention Network, have called for United Nations (UN) or NATO intervention to augment and/or replace the AU peacekeepers. The UN has considered deploying a

force, though it would not likely enter the country until at least October 2007.[55] The under-funded and badly equipped AU mission was set to expire on 31 December 2006 but wasextended to 30 June 2007 and merged with the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur in October 2007. In July 2009 the African Union ceased cooperation with the

International Criminal Court, refusing to recognise the international arrest warrant it had issued against Sudan's leader, Omar al-Bashir, who was indicted in 2008 for War crimes.[56]

Somalia

Main article: African Union Mission to Somalia

From the early 1990s up until recently, Somalia was without a functioning central government. A peace agreement aimed at ending the civil war that broke out following the collapse ofthe Siad Barre regime was signed in 2006 after many years of peace talks. However, the new government was almost immediately threatened by further violence. To temporarily shoreup the government's military base, starting in March 2007, AU soldiers began arriving in Mogadishu as part of a peacekeeping force that was intended by the AU to eventually be 8,000

strong.[57] Eritrea recalled its ambassadors to the African Union on 20 November 2009[58] after the African Union called on the United Nations Security Council to impose sanctions onthem due to their alleged support of Somali Islamists attempting to topple the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, the internationally recognised government of Somalia which

holds Somalia's seat on the African Union.[59] On 22 December 2009, the Security Council passed UNSCR 1907, which imposed an arms embargo on Eritrea, travel bans on Eritrean

leaders, and asset freezes on Eritrean officials. Eritrea strongly criticised the resolution. In January 2011, Eritrea reestablished their mission to the AU in Addis Ababa.[60]

Anjouan, Comoros

Main article: 2008 invasion of Anjouan

Economy

The combined states of the African Union constitute a nominal GDP of US$1.627 trillion. By measuring GDP by PPP, the African Union's economy totals $2.849 trillion, ranking it 6th

after Germany.[3][4][61]

The AU's future goals include the creation of a free trade area, a customs union, a single market, a central bank, and a common currency (see African Monetary Union), thereby

establishing economic and monetary union. The current plan is to establish an African Economic Community with a single currency by 2023.[62]

Languages

Main article: Languages of the African Union

According to the Constitutive Act of the African Union, its working languages are Arabic, English, French and Portuguese, and African languages "if possible".[63] A protocol amendingthe Constitutive Act, adopted in 2003 but as of 2007 not yet in force, added Spanish, Swahili and "any other African language" and termed all six "official" (rather than "working")

languages of the African Union.[64] In practice, translation of documents of the AU into the four current working languages which used to cause significant delays and difficulties to theconduct of business, has known a great leap forward since late 2007, when modern translation tools and working methods were introduced.

Founded in 2001 under the auspices of the AU, the African Academy of Languages promotes the usage and perpetuation of African languages among African people. The AU declared

2006 the Year of African Languages.[65][66]

Geography

Main article: Geography of the African Union

Member states of the African Union cover almost the entirety of continental Africa and several off-shore islands. Consequently, the geography of the African Union is wildly diverse,including the world's largest hot desert (the Sahara), huge jungles and savannas, and the world's longest river (the Nile).

The AU presently has an area of 29,922,059 km² (18,592,705 mi²), with 24,165 km (15,015 mi) of coastline. The vast majority of this area is on continental Africa, while the onlysignificant territory off the mainland is the island of Madagascar (the world's fourth largest), accounting for slightly less than 2% of the total.

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of the African Union

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The individual member states of the African Union coordinate foreign policy through this agency, in addition to conducting their own international relations on a state-by-state basis. TheAU represents the interests of African peoples at large in intergovernmental organisations (IGOs); for instance, it is a permanent observer at the United Nations General Assembly. Boththe African Union and the United Nations work in tandem to address issues of common concerns in various areas. The African Union Mission in United Nations aspires to serve as abridge between the two Organisations.

Membership of the AU overlaps with other IGOs and occasionally these third-party organisations and the AU will coordinate matters of public policy. The African Union maintainsspecial diplomatic representation with the United States and the European Union.

History

Main article: History of the African Union

The historical foundations of the African Union originated in the Union of African States, an early confederation that was established by Kwame Nkrumah in the 1960s, as well assubsequent attempts to unite Africa, including the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), which was established on 25 May 1963, and the African Economic Community in 1981. Critics

argued that the OAU in particular did little to protect the rights and liberties of African citizens from their own political leaders, often dubbing it the "Dictators' Club".[67]

The idea of creating the AU was revived in the mid-1990s under the leadership of Libyan head of state Muammar al-Gaddafi: the heads of state and government of the OAU issued theSirte Declaration (named after Sirte, in Libya) on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of an African Union. The Declaration was followed by summits at Lomé in 2000, whenthe Constitutive Act of the African Union was adopted, and at Lusaka in 2001, when the plan for the implementation of the African Union was adopted. During the same period, theinitiative for the establishment of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), was also established.

The African Union was launched in Durban on 9 July 2002, by its first chairperson, South African Thabo Mbeki, at the first session of the Assembly of the African Union. The secondsession of the Assembly was in Maputo in 2003, and the third session in Addis Ababa on 6 July 2004.

Symbols

The emblem of the African Union consists of a gold ribbon bearing small interlocking red rings, from which palm leaves shoot up around an outer gold circle and an inner green circle,within which is a gold representation of Africa. The red interlinked rings stand for African solidarity and the blood shed for the liberation of Africa; the palm leaves for peace; the gold,for Africa's wealth and bright future; the green, for African hopes and aspirations. To symbolise African unity, the silhouette of Africa is drawn without internal borders.

The African Union adopted its new flag at its 14th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government taking place in Addis Ababa 2010. During the 8th AfricanUnion Summit which took place in Addis Ababa on 29 and 30 January 2007, the Heads of State and Government decided to launch a competition for the selection of a new flag for theUnion. They prescribed a green background for the flag symbolising hope of Africa and stars to represent Member States.

Pursuant to this decision, the African Union Commission (AUC) organised a competition for the selection of a new flag for the African Union. The AUC received a total of 106 entriesproposed by citizens of 19 African countries and 2 from the Diaspora. The proposals were then examined by a panel of experts put in place by the African Union Commission andselected from the five African regions for short listing according to the main directions given by the Heads of State and Government.

At the 13th Ordinary Session of the Assembly, the Heads of State and Government examined the report of the Panel and selected one among all the proposals. The flag is now part ofthe paraphernalia of the African Union and replaces the old one.

The old flag of the African Union bears a broad green horizontal stripe, a narrow band of gold, the emblem of the African Union at the centre of a broad white stripe, another narrowgold band and a final broad green stripe. Again, the green and gold symbolise Africa's hopes and aspirations as well as its wealth and bright future, and the white represents the purity ofAfrica's desire for friends throughout the world. The flag has led to the creation of the "national colours" of Africa of gold and green (sometimes together with white). These colours arevisible in one way or another in the flags of many African nations. Together the colours green, gold, and red constitute the Pan-African colours.

The African Union has adopted a new anthem, Let Us All Unite and Celebrate Together, and has the chorus O sons and daughters of Africa, flesh of the sun and flesh of the sky,Let us make Africa the tree of life.

List of Chairpersons

Main article: Chairperson of the African Union

Chairpersons of the African Union

Name Beginning of term End of term Country

Thabo Mbeki 9 July 2002 10 July 2003 South Africa

Joaquim Chissano 10 July 2003 6 July 2004 Mozambique

Olusegun Obasanjo 6 July 2004 24 January 2006 Nigeria

Denis Sassou-Nguesso 24 January 2006 24 January 2007 Republic of the Congo

John Kufuor 30 January 2007 31 January 2008 Ghana

Jakaya Kikwete 31 January 2008 2 February 2009 Tanzania

Muammar al-Gaddafi 2 February 2009 31 January 2010 Libya

Bingu wa Mutharika[68][69] 31 January 2010 31 January 2011 Malawi

Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo[70] 31 January 2011 29 January 2012 Equatorial Guinea

Yayi Boni 29 January 2012 27 January 2013 Benin

Hailemariam Desalegn 27 January 2013 Incumbent Ethiopia

Indicators

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The following table shows various data for AU member states, including area, population, economic output and income inequality, as well as various indices, including humandevelopment, viability of the state, perception of corruption, economic freedom, state of peace, freedom of the press and democratic level.

CountryArea[71]

(km²)2010

Population[71]

2011

GDP (PPP)[71]

(Intl. $)2011

GDP

(PPP)per

capita[71]

(Intl. $)

2011

Income

inequality[71]

1994-2011(latest

available)

HDI[72]

2011

FSI[73]

2012

CPI[74]

2011

IEF[75]

2011

GPI[76]

2012

WPFI[77]

2011/2012

DI[78]

2011

Algeria 2,381,740 35,980,193 263,552,001,454 8,715 35.3 0.698 78.1 2.9 52.4 2.255 56.00 3.44

Angola 1,246,700 19,618,432 116,345,451,961 5,930 58.6 0.486 85.1 2.0 46.2 2.105 58.43 3.32

Benin 112,620 9,099,922 14,813,078,086 1,628 38.6 0.427 78.6 3.0 56.0 2.231 31.00 6.06

Botswana581,730 2,030,738 29,958,865,343 14,753 61.0 0.633 66.5 6.1 68.8 1.621 12.00 7.63

Burkina

Faso274,220 16,967,845 22,219,630,703 1,310 39.8 0.331 87.4 3.0 60.6 1.881 23.33 3.59

Burundi 27,830 8,575,172 5,214,123,472 608 33.3 0.316 97.5 1.9 49.6 2.524 57.75 4.01

Cameroon475,440 20,030,362 47,738,231,020 2,383 38.9 0.482 93.1 2.5 51.8 2.113 35.00 3.41

Cape

Verde4,030 500,585 2,063,740,972 4,123 50.5 0.568 74.7 5.5 64.6 N/A -6.00 7.92

Central

African

Republic

622,980 4,486,837 3,660,980,390 816 56.3 0.343 103.8 2.2 49.3 2.872 20.00 1.82

Chad 1,284,000 11,525,496 17,645,370,046 1,531 39.8 0.328 107.6 2.0 45.3 2.671 37.67 1.62

Comoros 1,860 753,943 842,530,721 1,117 64.3 0.433 83.0 2.4 43.8 N/A 13.00 3.52

Côted'Ivoire

322,460 20,152,894 36,338,307,504 1,803 41.5 0.400 103.6 2.2 55.4 2.419 83.50 3.08

Congo,

Democratic

Republic of

the

2,344,860 67,757,577 25,440,229,129 375 44.4 0.286 111.2 2.0 40.7 3.073 67.67 2.15

Djibouti 23,200 905,564 1,997,160,467a 2,290a 40.0 0.430 83.8 3.0 54.5 1.881 83.50 2.68

Egypt 1,001,450 82,536,770 521,964,470,584 6,324 30.8 0.644 90.4 2.9 59.1 2.220 97.50 3.95

EquatorialGuinea

28,050 720,213 26,298,591,108 36,515 N/A 0.537 86.3 1.9 47.5 2.039 86.00 1.77

Eritrea 117,600 5,415,280 3,189,065,543 589 N/A 0.349 94.5 2.5 36.7 2.264 142.00 2.34

Ethiopia 1,104,300 84,734,262 94,603,635,847 1,116 29.8 0.363 97.9 2.7 50.5 2.504 56.60 3.79

Gabon 267,670 1,534,262 24,487,009,222 15,960 41.5 0.674 74.6 3.0 56.7 1.972 36.50 3.48

Gambia,The

11,300 1,776,103 3,792,511,029 2,135 47.3 0.420 80.6 3.5 57.4 1.961 65.50 3.38

Ghana 238,540 24,965,816 75,660,464,231 3,100 42.8 0.541 67.5 3.9 59.4 1.807 11.00 6.02

Guinea 245,860 10,221,808 11,534,395,660 1,128 39.4 0.344 101.9 2.1 51.7 2.073 30.00 2.79

Guinea-

Bissau36,130 1,547,061 1,935,816,767 1,251 35.5 0.353 99.2 2.2 46.5 2.105 26.00 1.99

Kenya 580,370 41,609,728 71,497,717,724 1,718 47.7 0.509 98.4 2.2 57.4 2.252 29.50 4.57

Lesotho 30,360 2,193,843 3,761,750,856 1,715 52.5 0.450 79.0 3.5 47.5 1.864 21.00 6.33

Liberia 111,370 4,128,572 2,382,497,925 577 38.2 0.329 93.3 3.2 46.5 2.131 40.50 4.97

Libya 1,759,540 6,422,772 105,554,599,321a 16,855a N/A 0.760 84.9 2.0 38.6 2.830 77.50 3.55

Madagascar587,040 21,315,135 20,724,804,452 972 44.1 0.480 82.5 3.0 61.2 2.124 29.50 3.93

Malawi 118,480 15,380,888 14,124,318,474 918 39.0 0.400 88.8 3.0 55.8 1.894 68.00 5.81

Mali 1,240,190 15,839,538 17,401,077,762 1,099 33.0 0.359 77.9 2.8 56.3 2.132 0.00 6.36

Mauritania1,030,700 3,541,540 9,105,623,199 2,571 40.5 0.453 87.6 2.4 52.1 2.301 22.20 4.16

Mauritius[79] 2,040 1,286,051 18,676,949,333 14,523 39b 0.728 44.7 5.1 76.2 1.487 17.00 8.04

Mozambique799,380 23,929,708 23,499,133,235 982 45.7 0.322 82.4 2.7 56.8 1.796 21.50 4.87

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Namibia 824,290 2,324,004 15,862,655,382 6,826 63.9 0.625 71.0 4.4 62.7 1.804 -2.00 6.24

Niger 1,267,000 16,068,994 11,763,433,268 732 34.6 0.295 96.9 2.5 54.3 2.241 2.50 5.94

Nigeria 923,770 162,470,737 411,371,765,042 2,532 48.8 0.459 101.1 2.4 56.7 2.801 56.40 3.83

Congo,Republic of

the342,000 4,139,748 18,336,706,982 4,429 47.3 0.533 90.1 2.2 43.6 2.148 30.38 2.89

Rwanda 26,340 10,942,950 13,690,574,770 1,251 50.8 0.429 89.3 5.0 62.7 2.250 81.00 3.25

São

Tomé and

Príncipe

960 168,526 346,851,135 2,058 50.8 0.509 73.9 3.0 49.5 N/A N/A N/A

Senegal 196,720 12,767,556 25,287,537,120 1,981 39.2 0.459 79.3 2.9 55.7 1.994 26.00 5.32

Seychelles460 86,000 2,272,152,389 26,420 65.8 0.773 65.1 4.8 51.2 N/A 25.00 N/A

Sierra

Leone71,740 5,997,486 5,259,635,009 877 42.5 0.336 90.4 2.5 49.6 1.855 21.00 4.34

Somalia[80] 637,660 9,556,873 5,896,000,000c 600c N/A N/A 114.9 1.0 N/A 3.392 88.33 N/A

South

Africa1,219,090 50,586,757 558,215,907,199 11,035 63.1 0.619 66.8 4.1 62.7 2.321 12.00 7.79

South

Sudan[81][82] 644,331 10,314,021 21,123,000,000 2,134 45.5 N/A 108.4 N/A N/A N/A 41.25 N/A

Sudan 2,505,810d 34,318,385 95,554,956,806d 2,141d 35.3d 0.408d 109.4 1.6d N/A 3.193d 100.75 2.38

Swaziland17,360 1,067,773 6,511,874,679 6,099 51.5 0.522 83.5 3.1 59.1 2.028 67.00 3.26

Tanzania 947,300 46,218,486 68,217,893,777 1,521 37.6 0.466 80.4 3.0 57.0 1.873 6.00 5.56

Togo 56,790 6,154,813 6,414,397,867 1,042 34.4 0.435 87.5 2.4 49.1 N/A 28.50 3.45

Tunisia 163,610 10,673,800 100,496,433,356 9,415 41.4 0.698 74.2 3.8 58.5 1.955 60.25 5.51

Uganda 241,550 34,509,205 46,730,051,194 1,354 44.3 0.446 96.5 2.4 61.7 2.121 64.00 5.08

Western

Sahara[83][84] 266,000 491,519 906,500,000e 2,500e N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

Zambia 752,610 13,474,959 21,869,657,293 1,623 54.6 0.430 85.9 3.2 59.7 1.830 30.00 6.19

Zimbabwe[85] 390,760 12,754,378 6,474,000,000 515 50.1 0.376 106.3 2.2 22.1 2.538 55.00 2.68

AUf 29,865,860 1,012,571,880 3,080,877,237,840 2,981g 44.7h 0.470 87.5 2.9 53.4 2.207 43.15 4.29

CountryArea(km²)

2010

Population

2011

GDP (PPP)(Intl. $)

2011

GDP (PPP)

per capita

(Intl. $)

2011

Income

inequality

1993-2009

(latest available)

HDI

2011

FSI

2012

CPI

2011

IEF

2011

GPI

2012

WPFI

2011/2012

DI

2011

a Data refer to 2009.b Data refer to 2006.c Data refer to 2010.d Includes South Sudan.e Data refer to 2007.f AU total used for indicators 1 through 3; AU weighted average used for indicator 4; AU unweighted average used for indicators 5 through 12.g Excludes Djibouti, Libya, Somalia and Western Sahara.h Excludes South Sudan.

Note: The colors indicate the country's global position in the respective indicator. For example, a green cell indicates that the country is ranked in the upper 25% of the list (including all countries with available

data).

Highest fourth

Upper-mid (2nd to 3rd quartile)

Lower-mid (1st to 2nd quartile)

Lowest fourth

See also

African CenturyAfrican Renaissance

African Unification Front

Africanisation

Continental union

Arab Union

North American Union

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North American Union

Central Asian UnionPacific Union

Union of South American Nations

Ezulwini agreement

Friends of the African Union

Indigenous peoples of Africa

African Peer Review Mechanism

References

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39. ^ Malone, Barry (26 August 2011). "AU won't recognise Libyan rebel council: diplomats" (http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2011/Aug-26/AU-wont-recognise-Libyan-rebel-council-diplomats.ashx#axzz1W9KDcooQ). The Daily Star. Retrieved 26 August 2011.

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council-diplomats.ashx#axzz1W9KDcooQ). The Daily Star. Retrieved 26 August 2011.

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47. ^ "Libya: How SA stood firm on money for rebels" (http://mg.co.za/article/2011-08-26-libya-how-sa-stood-firm-on-money-for-rebels/). Mail & Globe Online. 26 August 2011. Retrieved 27August 2011.

48. ^ "African Union officially recognises Libya's new leadership" (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h2NflCTWlrw96Cs-Ts7A7Xcem2dA?docId=CNG.a8a1185f4a08d2928999ea8643dc5bd9.501).

49. ^ "All is rather easily forgiven" (http://www.economist.com/node/14105592). The Economist. 23 July 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2011.

50. ^ "AU denounces Togo 'military coup'" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4240485.stm). BBC News. 6 February 2005. Retrieved 10 July 2006.

51. ^ Article 3(f) of the Constitutive Act.

52. ^ Article 4(e) of the Constitutive Act.

53. ^ See Jakkie Cilliers, 'The African Standby Force. An Update on Progress (http://www.issafrica.org/dynamic/administration/file_manager/file_links/PAPER160.PDF?link_id=3&slink_id=5753&link_type=12&slink_type=13&tmpl_id=3), Institute for Security Studies, South Africa, March 2008.

54. ^ "AU Darfur mission 'to end soon'" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5124608.stm). BBC News. 28 June 2006. Retrieved 23 April 2010.

55. ^ "Security Council Authorises Deployment Of United Nations-African Union ‘Hybrid’ Peace Operation In Bid To Resolve Darfur Conflict"(http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2007/sc9089.doc.htm). Un.org. Retrieved 2012-11-26.

56. ^ "African move on Bashir dismissed" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8134718.stm). BBC News. 5 July 2009. Retrieved 23 April 2010.

57. ^ Reynolds, Paul (8 July 2002). "African Union replaces dictators' club" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2115736.stm). BBC News. Archived(http://web.archive.org/web/20100601025542/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2115736.stm) from the original on 1 June 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2010.

58. ^ Afro News (http://www.afrol.com/articles/10577) Eritrea breaks with African Union, 20 November 2009.

59. ^ "AU Calls for sanctions on Eritrea" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8064939.stm) bbc.co.uk 23 May 2009 Link accessed 23 May 2009

60. ^ "Eritrea: Nation Appoints AU Envoy in Ethiopia" (http://allafrica.com/stories/201101210166.html). 20 January 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2011.

61. ^ "CIA - The World Factbook" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html?countryName=Cameroon&countryCode=cm&regionCode=afr&rank=95#cm). Cia.gov. Retrieved 2012-11-26.

62. ^ "Profile: African Union" (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/3870303.stm). BBC News. 1 July 2006. Archived(http://web.archive.org/web/20060712034155/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/3870303.stm) from the original on 12 July 2006. Retrieved 10 July 2006.

63. ^ Article 25, Constitutive Act of the African Union.

64. ^ Article 11, Protocol on Amendments to the Constitutive Act of the African Union [1] (http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Documents/Treaties/Text/Protocol%20on%20Amendments%20to%20the%20Constitutive%20Act.pdf)

65. ^ "Ethiopia: AU Launches 2006 As Year of African Languages" (http://allafrica.com/stories/200606210733.html). AllAfrica.com. 2006. Retrieved 2006.

66. ^ Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa (2006). "The Year of African Languages (2006) – Plan for the year of African Languages – Executive Summary"(http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/praesa/YoAL.htm). Project for the Study of Alternative Education in South Africa. Archived(http://web.archive.org/web/20060923084909/http://web.uct.ac.za/depts/praesa/YoAL.htm) from the original on 23 September 2006. Retrieved 30 September 2006.

67. ^ African Union replaces dictators' club (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/2115736.stm), BBC, 8 July 2002

68. ^ Gaddafi fails in bid to remain African Union chair (http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE60U05O20100131l), Reuters, 31 January 2010

69. ^ Malawi president takes over as AU president (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g8cvj3048f4WEB6UQuim80MKqhVA), AFP, 31 January 2010

70. ^ According to the AU (http://www.au.int/en/dp/cp/biography), his official style is Son Excellence Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, Président de la République, Chef de l'État et Président

Fondateur du Parti Démocratique de Guinée Equatoriale (French). Retrieved 4 October 2011.

71. ̂a b c d e "World Development Indicators" (http://databank.worldbank.org/ddp/home.do). World Bank. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012.

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74. ^ "Corruption Perceptions Index: Transparency International" (http://cpi.transparency.org/cpi2011/results/). Transparency.org. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 1 December 2011.

75. ^ "Country rankings for trade, business, fiscal, monetary, financial, labor and investment freedoms" (http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking.aspx). Heritage.org. Retrieved 4 March 2011.

76. ^ "Global Peace Index 2012" (http://www.visionofhumanity.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/2012-Global-Peace-Index-Map-and-Rankings.pdf). Vision of Humanity. June 2012. Retrieved13 June 2012.

77. ^ "RSF.org" (http://en.rsf.org/spip.php?page=classement&id_rubrique=1043). En.rsf.org. Retrieved 12 May 2012.

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79. ^ Gini Index obtained from: "DISTRIBUTION OF FAMILY INCOME - GINI INDEX" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2172.html). The WorldFactbook. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 12 October 2012.

80. ^ GDP (PPP) and GDP (PPP) per capita obtained from: "Somalia" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/so.html). The World Factbook. Central IntelligenceAgency. Retrieved 12 October 2012.

81. ^ Area obtained from: "Statistical Yearbook for Southern Sudan 2010" (http://ssnbs.org/storage/stats-year-books/Statistical%20Year%20Book%20For%20Southern%20Sudan%202010%20Final.pdf). Southern Sudan Centre for Census, Statistics and Evaluation. Retrieved 1 June 2012.

82. ^ GDP (PPP) and GDP (PPP) per capita obtained from: "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2012" (http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2012/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=73&pr.y=0&sy=2011&ey=2011&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=733&s=PPPGDP%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a=). International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 12 October2012.

83. ^ Population obtained from: "Western Sahara - 2011" (http://www.theodora.com/wfb2011/western_sahara/index.html). The World Factbook. Central Intelligence Agency. 13 January 2011.Retrieved 1 June 2012.

84. ^ Area, GDP (PPP) and GDP (PPP) per capita obtained from: "Western Sahara" (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/wi.html). The World Factbook. CentralIntelligence Agency. Retrieved 1 June 2012.

85. ^ GDP (PPP) and GDP (PPP) per capita obtained from: "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2012" (http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2012/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=9&pr.y=9&sy=2011&ey=2011&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=698&s=PPPGDP%2CPPPPC&grp=0&a=). International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 12 October2012.

Bibliography

Strengthening Popular Participation in the African Union: A Guide to AU Structures and Processes (http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/report/AfriMAP-AU-Guide-EN.pdf), AfriMAP and Oxfam GB, 2010

Towards a People Driven African Union: Current Challenges and New Opportunities (http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/report/AU_People-DrivenNov07.pdf)

AfriMAP, AFRODAD and Oxfam GB, January 2007

04/09/2013 African Union - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Union 12/12

The New African Initiative and the African Union: A Preliminary Assessment and Documentation by Henning Melber, Publisher: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, Sweden; ISBN 91-

7106-486-9; (October 2002)

"The African Union, NEPAD and Human Rights: The Missing Agenda" Human Rights Quarterly Vol.26, No.4, November 2004.

Bibliography on the AU at the Peace Palace Library (http://www.ppl.nl/catalogue.php?ppn=241754658&keyword=African%20Union&pagename=keyword-catalogue)

External links

African Union (http://www.au.int/) official site

African Union Mission in the United Nations (http://www.aumission-ny.org/)

1st African Union Summit July 2002 (http://www.au2002.gov.za/) in Durban, South Africa, website created by SA government

2nd African Union Summit July 2003 (http://www.au2003.gov.mz/) in Maputo, Mozambique3rd African Union Summit July 2004 (http://www.africa-union.org/AU%20summit%202004/Au%20summit%202004.htm), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

4th African Union Summit January 2005 (http://www.africa-union.org/summit/jan2005/home.htm), Abuja, Nigeria5th African Union Summit July 2005 (http://www.africa-union.org/summit/JULY%202005/home.htm) in Sirte, Libya.

6th African Union Summit January 2006 (http://www.africa-union.org/summit/jan%202006/home.htm) in Khartoum, Sudan.7th African Union Summit July 2006 (http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Conferences/Past/2006/July/summit/summit.htm) in Banjul, the Gambia.

7th African Union Summit 2006 (http://www.bjlausummit2006.gm/) in Banjul, the Gambia, website created by the host government.8th AU summit January 2007 (http://www.africa-union.org/root/AU/Conferences/Past/2007/January/summit/summit1.htm), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia9th AU summit July 2007 (http://www.africa-union.org/root/AU/Conferences/2007/june/summit/9thAUSummit.htm), Accra, Ghana

10th AU summit January 2008 (http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Conferences/2008/january/summit/10thsummit.htm), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia11th AU summit July 2008 (http://www.africa-union.org/root/AU/Conferences/2008/june/summit/summit.htm), Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

12th AU summit January 2009 (http://www.africa-union.org/root/au/Conferences/2009/january/summit/12thsummit.html), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia13th AU summit June 2009 (http://www.africa-union.org/root/AU/Conferences/2009/july/summit/13thsummit.html), Sirte, Libya

Other relevant sites

AU Monitor (http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/)

AfriMAP (http://www.afrimap.org/) The Africa Governance Monitoring and Advocacy Project of the Open Society InstituteSouthern Africa Regional Poverty Network (http://www.sarpn.org.za/nepad.php) Page on the AU and NEPAD – many useful links

Pan-African Perspective (http://www.panafricanperspective.com/youtube_USofAfrica.html) Background on Union Government debateBBC Profile: African Union (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/3870303.stm)

African Union (http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Government/Multilateral/Regional/African_Union/) at the Open Directory ProjectAfrica: 50 years of independence (http://www.english.rfi.fr/africa/20100212-africa-50-years-independence) Radio France Internationale in English

The broken dream of African unity, Jean-Karim Fall (http://www.english.rfi.fr/africa/20100225-broken-dream-african-unity) Radio France Internationale in English

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