Think Africa!
: Building an Africa for the future
On the 25 May, 1963 the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was established in Addis Abba with 32 signatory governments. Almost 40 years later the OAU was disbanded on the 9 July 2002 by its last chairperson, the then President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki. In its stead the African Union (AU) was formed of which all African countries (except Morocco) are members.

The OAU was one of the earliest initiatives of inter-regional cooperation in Africa with its primary aim being the promotion of unity, solidarity, peace, stability, independence and human rights in African States. As a result of continued difficulties of consensus experienced by the OAU member states, in July 1999 the Assembly convened an extraordinary session to expedite the process of economic and political integration on the continent. Four Summits were then held leading up to the official launch of the African Union:
The Sirte Extraordinary Session (1999) decided to establish an African Union
The Lome Summit (2000) adopted the Constitutive Act of the Union
The Lusaka Summit (2001) drew the roadmap for the implementation of the AU
The Durban Summit (2002) launched the AU and convened the First Assembly of the Heads of States of the African Union.

Vision and Objectives of the African Union
The African Union envisions ‘An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena'. To realise this vision the AU is determined to achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and the peoples of Africa; to defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States and to accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent.

The AU’s objective is to promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples and to encourage international cooperation, taking due account of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, promoting peace, security and stability in Africa. It has undertaken to protect human and peoples' rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and other relevant human rights instruments.

The AU is working towards establishing the necessary conditions which will enable the continent to play its rightful role in the global economy and in international negotiations. To this end the AU is promoting sustainable development at economic, social and cultural levels as well as the integration of African economies, and promoting co-operation in all fields of human activity to raise the living standards of African peoples.

Another of its objectives is to coordinate and harmonise the policies between the existing and future Regional Economic Communities and to advance the development of the continent by promoting research in all fields, particularly science and technology. It also aims to work with relevant international partners in the eradication of preventable diseases and the promotion of good health on the continent.

New Partnership for Africa's Development (NePAD)
NePAD is a call to renew old relationships and promote new partnerships between Africa and the international community, especially the highly industrialised countries, to assist in overcoming the