9 July 2002

South African President Thabo Mbeki became the founding chairman of the newly inaugurated African Union (AU) at a glittering ceremony in Durban on Tuesay, 9 July 2002, as African leaders bid farewell to the Organisation of African Unity and welcomed in the AU, which seeks to reposition the continent’s relationship with the rest of the world.

Meeting at the 38th and final OAU summit in Durban, over 50 African heads of state put the finishing touches to what they hope will be a more effective organisation to tackle political, economic and social issues.

Speaking at the opening of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU, Mbeki said: “At the 37th Assembly in Lusaka, it was decided that we should transform the OAU into the African Union on the basis of decisions taken at the Extraordinary Summit in Sirte in Libya, and the ratification by the requisite number of countries of the Constitutive Act of the African Union.

“Our experience of the past 40 years says that we have a duty to radically change the structure and content of our political, economic and social relations with the rest of the world.”

Many felt that the OAU had achieved its mandate to decolonise the continent and that the time had come to implement a programme such as the New Partnership for African Development (Nepad).

Nepad is a blueprint for Africa that aims to tackle issues such as peace and security, good economic, political and corporate governance, and to make the continent an attractive destination for foreign investment.

A key feature of the OAU was the agreement to not interfere in the internal affairs of another country. This has been superseded by the Peer Review mechanism contained in Nepad and by clauses allowing intervention in certain circumstances, as outlined in the AU’s founding charter, the Constitutive Act.

A major difference between the OAU and AU is the new commitment to democracy and human rights. Major AU institutions on the cards to back these ideals include setting up a Peace and Security Council (modelled on the United Nations Security Council), an African Standby Force, a Court of Justice, an African Economic Community, an African Bank, and the Nepad Heads of State Implementation Committee.

The OAU’s existing bodies will be converted into the new institutions within the AU, although this could take up to a year to be completed

AU 'not just a continuation of the OAU'
The South African Department of Foreign Affairs points out in a briefing document that the “AU objectives are different and more comprehensive than those of the OAU. The OAU has served its mission and was due for replacement by a structure geared towards addressing the current needs of the continent, in particular regarding social and economic development.

“In addition, a structure is needed that will be able to deal effectively with the political challenges of peace, stability and security issues.

“The AU has come at the ideal time as the perfect instrument for implementing Nepad and bringing about an age of prosperity and progress. The AU has a vastly expanded mandate from that of the OAU. It includes the principles contained in the Charter of the OAU, as well as the goals entrenched in the Abuja Treaty regarding social and economic development.

“In addition, it reflects a greater openness and willingness to be mutually scrutinised and assisted in areas such as human rights. Added to this is the need to establish a structure that can deliver on the expanded mandate.”

Speeking at the special session of the AU council of ministers in Durban on 1 July, Amara Essy, secretary-general of the OAU, said: “Since the Lusaka Summit last year, member states and the general secretariat have put in a lot of work in preparing for the launch of the African Union, particularly its key organs.

“In working on the proposed rules of procedure and the statutes, efforts have been made to ensure that the institutions of the African Union acquire an added strength and dynamism for coping with the challenges of the new century.

“We all realise that the manner in which the Union is configured will determine how Africa can harness the opportunities of globalisation, surmount its challenges and enable our people to realise sustainable peace and development. We have to do it right; we cannot afford to fail them.”

Journalist and editor Les Tilley was a regular writer for the Financial Times and The Times in London, and more recently managing editor of Business Report, South Africa's largest financial daily paper.

	Fifty-three countries, one Africa

	African Union Summit  African Union  Nepad  Africa Institute of SA  Foreign Affairs SA

Nepad lays out vision for Africa South Africa is a key driver of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (Nepad), a blueprint for Africa that tackles issues such as peace and security, good economic, political and corporate governance, and aims to make the continent an attractive destination for foreign investment. Mbeki: visionary pragmatist When Thabo Mbeki became President, he was seen as one of the few men who could steer South Africa successfully into the global economy. Driven by his vision of an African Renaissance, Mbeki has pushed for a greater role for SA in the international arena, while championing the cause of the poor at home.