Ten Years of a Contrasted Union: The African Union at the Crossroads or Business as Usual

The African Union (AU) has shifted the continental focus from decolonisation to development and economic integration. While it has established institutional infrastructure, implemented peacekeeping missions, and promoted democratic norms—such as refusing to recognise coup-led governments—it faces a structural impasse in achieving developmental goals. The author argues that the AU must move beyond ambitious declarations toward pragmatic outcomes, specifically by translating governance into developmental deliverables, strengthening regional economic communities like ECOWAS, and clarifying leadership principles for the AU Commission.

• The African Union represents a fundamental shift from the Organization of African Unity (OAU), moving from a mandate of decolonisation toward a vision based on development and the economic and political integration of Africa.
• The AU has made progress in governance by refusing to recognise governments that seize power via coups and by establishing the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) to strengthen accountability and democracy.
• Despite institutional growth and peacekeeping efforts in Somalia, Sudan, and Burundi, the AU suffers from a lack of a coherent approach to conflict management and a gap between its ambitious goals and its structural ability to achieve developmental aims.
• To improve effectiveness, the AU should empower the Commission with more devolved powers to act as a facilitator for regional economic communities, such as ECOWAS, which are viewed as the most effective platforms for peace and security.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2012). Ten Years of a Contrasted Union: The African Union at the Crossroads or Business as Usual. https://saiia.org.za/research/ten-years-of-a-contrasted-union-the-african-union-at-the-crossroads-or-business-as-usual/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Ten Years of a Contrasted Union: The African Union at the Crossroads or Business as Usual. 2012. https://saiia.org.za/research/ten-years-of-a-contrasted-union-the-african-union-at-the-crossroads-or-business-as-usual/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Ten Years of a Contrasted Union: The African Union at the Crossroads or Business as Usual |date=9 July 2012 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/ten-years-of-a-contrasted-union-the-african-union-at-the-crossroads-or-business-as-usual/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2012ten, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Ten Years of a Contrasted Union: The African Union at the Crossroads or Business as Usual}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2012}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/ten-years-of-a-contrasted-union-the-african-union-at-the-crossroads-or-business-as-usual/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }