Current issues African Union

1 current issues

1.1 union government
1.2 role of african union
1.3 selection of chair
1.4 aids in africa
1.5 libya

current issues

the au faces many challenges, including health issues such combating malaria , aids/hiv epidemic; political issues such confronting undemocratic regimes , mediating in many civil wars; economic issues such improving standard of living of millions of impoverished, uneducated africans; ecological issues such dealing recurring famines, desertification, , lack of ecological sustainability; legal issues regarding western sahara.

union government

the principal topic debate @ july 2007 au summit held in accra, ghana, creation of union government, aim of moving towards united states of africa. study on union government adopted in late 2006, , proposes various options completing african union project. there divisions among african states on proposals, (notably libya) following maximalist view leading common government au army; , others (especially southern african states) supporting rather strengthening of existing structures, reforms deal administrative , political challenges in making au commission , other bodies effective.

following heated debate in accra, assembly of heads of state , government agreed in form of declaration review state of affairs of au view determining readiness towards union government. in particular, assembly agreed to:

accelerate economic , political integration of african continent, including formation of union government of africa;
conduct audit of institutions , organs of au; review relationship between au , recs; find ways strengthen au , elaborate timeframe establish union government of africa.

the declaration lastly noted importance of involving african peoples, including africans in diaspora, in processes leading formation of union government.

following decision, panel of eminent persons set conduct audit review . review team began work on 1 september 2007. review presented assembly of heads of state , government @ january 2008 summit in addis ababa. no final decision taken on recommendations, however, , committee of ten heads of state appointed consider review , report july 2008 summit held in egypt. @ july 2008 summit, decision once again deferred, final debate @ january 2009 summit held in addis ababa.

role of african union



euler diagram showing relationships between various multinational african entities v • d • e

one of key debates in relation achievement of greater continental integration relative priority should given integration of continent unit in or integration of sub-regions. 1980 lagos plan of action development of africa , 1991 treaty establish african economic community (also referred abuja treaty), proposed creation of regional economic communities (recs) basis african integration, timetable regional , continental integration follow.

currently, there 8 recs recognised au, each established under separate regional treaty. are:

the arab maghreb union (amu)
the common market eastern , 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)

the membership of many of communities overlaps, , rationalisation has been under discussion several years – , formed theme of 2006 banjul summit. @ july 2007 accra summit assembly decided adopt protocol on relations between african union , regional economic communities. protocol intended facilitate harmonisation of policies , ensure compliance abuja treaty , lagos plan of action time frames.

selection of chair

in 2006, au decided create committee consider implementation of rotation system between regions in relation presidency. controversy arose @ 2006 summit when sudan announced candidacy au s chairmanship, representative of east african region. several member states refused support sudan because of tensions on darfur (see below). sudan withdrew candidacy , president denis sassou-nguesso of republic of congo elected one-year term. @ january 2007 summit, sassou-nguesso replaced president john agyekum kufuor of ghana, despite attempt sudan gain chair. 2007 50th anniversary of ghana s independence, symbolic moment country hold chair of au—and host mid-year summit @ proposed union government discussed. in january 2008, president jakaya kikwete of tanzania took on chair, representing east african region , apparently ending sudan s attempt become chair—at least till rotation returns east africa. current chair benin.

aids in africa

the au has been active in addressing aids pandemic in africa. in 2001, au established aids watch africa coordinate , mobilize continent-wide response. sub-saharan africa, southern , eastern africa, affected area in world. though region home 6.2% of world s population, home half of world s population infected hiv. while measurement of hiv prevalence rates has proved methodologically challenging, more 20% of sexually active population of many countries of southern africa may infected, south africa, botswana, kenya, namibia, , zimbabwe expected have decrease in life expectancy average of 6.5 years. pandemic has had massive implications economy of continent, reducing economic growth rates 2-4% across africa.

in july, 2007, au endorsed 2 new initiatives combat aids crisis, including push recruit, train , integrate 2 million community health workers continent s healthcare systems.

libya

the au attempted mediate in stages of 2011 libyan civil war, forming ad hoc committee of 5 presidents (congolese president denis sassou nguesso, malian president amadou toumani touré, mauritanian president mohamed ould abdel aziz, south african president jacob zuma, , ugandan president yoweri museveni) broker truce. however, beginning of nato-led military intervention in march 2011 prevented committee traveling libya meet libyan leader , former head of au until 2010 muammar gaddafi. body, au sharply dissented united nations security council s decision create no-fly zone on libya, though few member states, such botswana, gabon, zambia, , others expressed support resolution.

as result of gaddafi s defeat @ battle of tripoli, decisive battle of war, in august 2011, arab league voted recognise anti-gaddafi national transitional council legitimate government of country pending elections, yet although council has been recognised several au member states, including 2 countries members of arab league, au peace , security council voted on 26 august 2011 not recognise it, insisting ceasefire agreed , national unity government formed both sides in civil war. number of au member states led ethiopia, nigeria, , rwanda requested au recognise ntc libya s interim governing authority, , several other au member states have recognised ntc regardless of peace , security council s decision. however, au member states algeria , zimbabwe have indicated not recognise ntc, , south africa has expressed reservations well.

on 20 september 2011, african union officially recognised national transitional council legitimate representative of libya.