The 10th African Union Heads of State and Government Summit

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the context and agenda of the 10th African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government Summit, held in Addis Ababa from January 31 to February 2, 2008. The document evaluates the AU's effectiveness in conflict management and outlines key discussions regarding the proposed Union Government of Africa and an AU Audit Report on continental integration.

• The AU is viewed as a secondary mechanism for resolving continental crises, as the primary responsibility for peace and security lies with domestic political institutions and leadership. While the AU Constitutive Act (article 4 (h)) allows for intervention in member states during grave circumstances like genocide or war crimes, the persistence of conflict in Somalia, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, and Kenya suggests the organization is still struggling to solve the continent's crises.
• The 10th AU Summit will address the proposal for a Union Government of Africa, based on a report from the Ministerial Committee created by the Accra Declaration. Seven domains of competence have been identified for this government: global trade, research/university, communication/infrastructure, trans-national crime, environment and pandemics, peace and security, and research/university. However, disagreements persist regarding foreign policy, defence, institutional implications, financing options, and the roadmap's timeframe.
• A critical component of the summit is the AU Audit Report, produced by a 14-person High Level Panel between September and December. The audit reviewed the performance of AU organs and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in accelerating continental integration through hearings, document reviews, and interviews with staff and embassies.
• The summit includes the election of key leadership positions, with 6 candidates for Chairperson, 2 for Deputy Chairperson, and 58 for Commissioner positions. Additionally, the summit will appoint new members to the Peace and Security Council for a two-year mandate.

APA

Ayangafac, C. (2008). The 10th African Union Heads of State and Government Summit. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/topics/african-union/25-jan-2008-10th-au-summit-addis-ababa-25-january-2-february-2008/18-jan-2008-iss-today-the-10th-african-union-heads-of-state-and-government-summit

Chicago

Ayangafac, Chrysantus. The 10th African Union Heads of State and Government Summit. Institute for Security Studies, 2008. https://issafrica.org/topics/african-union/25-jan-2008-10th-au-summit-addis-ababa-25-january-2-february-2008/18-jan-2008-iss-today-the-10th-african-union-heads-of-state-and-government-summit.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ayangafac |first1=Chrysantus |title=The 10th African Union Heads of State and Government Summit |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=18 January 2008 |url=https://issafrica.org/topics/african-union/25-jan-2008-10th-au-summit-addis-ababa-25-january-2-february-2008/18-jan-2008-iss-today-the-10th-african-union-heads-of-state-and-government-summit |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ayangafac200810th, author = {Ayangafac, Chrysantus}, title = {{The 10th African Union Heads of State and Government Summit}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2008}, month = jan, url = {https://issafrica.org/topics/african-union/25-jan-2008-10th-au-summit-addis-ababa-25-january-2-february-2008/18-jan-2008-iss-today-the-10th-african-union-heads-of-state-and-government-summit}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }