Africa cannot afford business as usual under new AUC chair

The document discusses the transition of the African Union Commission (AUC) leadership to Moussa Faki Mahamat. It emphasizes that the AU cannot return to 'business as usual' due to a volatile global political landscape and the urgent need for financial autonomy. A key focus is the implementation of a 0.2% levy on African imports to reduce reliance on international donors, aiming to provide $1.2 billion in overall revenue in 2017 and ensure peace operations are 25% self-funded. The text also highlights the necessity of institutional reforms proposed by President Paul Kagame and the need for the AU to address root causes of conflict and migration in countries such as Libya, Somalia, and Sudan.

• The African Union is pursuing financial independence to reduce reliance on international donors, as member contributions accounted for only $200 million of the $782 million overall budget in 2016.
• The AU has introduced a 0.2% levy on African imports to self-finance, which is projected to generate $1.2 billion in overall revenue in 2017 and contribute $325 million to the peace fund that year, increasing to $400 million by 2020.
• The self-financing initiative specifically targets the AU's peace operations, with a goal for them to be 25% self-funded once revenue collection begins.
• President Paul Kagame has recommended institutional reforms for the AU to improve operational and political efficiency and accountability, underpinned by the need for the organization to fund itself.
• The AU faces significant humanitarian and security challenges regarding the flow of migrants from countries including the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan, requiring a strategy that targets the root causes of conflict.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2017). Africa cannot afford business as usual under new AUC chair. https://saiia.org.za/research/africa-cannot-afford-business-as-usual-under-new-auc-chair/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Africa cannot afford business as usual under new AUC chair. 2017. https://saiia.org.za/research/africa-cannot-afford-business-as-usual-under-new-auc-chair/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Africa cannot afford business as usual under new AUC chair |date=7 February 2017 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/africa-cannot-afford-business-as-usual-under-new-auc-chair/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2017africa, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Africa cannot afford business as usual under new AUC chair}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2017}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/africa-cannot-afford-business-as-usual-under-new-auc-chair/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }