In 2012 the AU elected Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma as its leader, making her the first woman to hold the post. Born in KwaZulu-Natal on 27 January, 1949, she received her secondary education at Amanzimtoti Training College. She began her tertiary studies in 1971 at the University of Zululand where she obtained a BSc. She left South Africa in 1976, completing her MB ChB at the University of Bristol. During the 70s she
became active in underground ANC activities while serving as the Deputy President of the South African Student Organsation. Nkosazama Dlamini-Zuma is one of South Africa’s longest-serving Ministers, having served as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Health and Home Affairs under Presidents Mandela, Mbeki and Zuma.

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 development chasm that has widened over centuries of unequal relations. NePAD was designed specifically to address the challenges of poverty, under-development and marginalisation in Africa.

In promoting the conditions for sustainable development in Africa in the 2lst century NePAD, with the support of the African Heads of State, requires that the continent upholds peace and democracy in all its regions and, economically, protects its vast natural resources from exploitation. 

Bridging the Infrastructure Gap
NePAD recognises that for Africa to successfully up its game, it needs to strengthen its presently weak infrastructure base. This includes the development of roads, airports, seaports, railways, waterways and
telecommunications facilities which would place Africa in a better position to focus on production and on improving productivity for international competition. An improved infrastructure would benefit Africa and the international community which would be able to acquire African goods and services more cheaply.

To mobilise sustainable financing NePAD works closely with the African Development Bank and other development finance institutions on the continent through multilateral processes, institutions and donor
governments. NePAD is aware, however, that to improve infrastructure in Africa, private foreign finance is essential to complement the two major funding methods of credit and aid and, as a result, the romotion
of public-private partnerships (PPP’s) is essential.

Investing in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT’s)
The world has gone digital and NePAD is aware of the need to make Africa a part of this revolution. An intensive use of ICT’s will open new windows of opportunity for African countries to accelerate their economic growth and development. Investing in this knowledge-based economy of the future will foster intra-regional trade and also accelerate Africa’s integration into the global economy. The many other advantages of a strong ICT sector are to be found in identifying opportunities for trade, investment
and finance; alleviating the fight against illiteracy; providing helpful tools for environmental, agricultural and infrastructural planning as well as establishing regional distance learning and health education
programmes, among others.

Energy
The acquisition of low-cost energy supplies is crucial to the development process, not only as a domestic necessity but also as a factor in the production of goods and services, and the competiveness of enterprises.  Here NePAD aims to develop Africa’s abundant solar energy resources, develop the hydropower potential of the river basins of Africa and increase the scope of the programme for biomass energy conservation from the South African Development Community (SADC) to the rest of Africa.

Transport
The safe and rapid transport of people and goods in Africa is key to the success of its development. NePAD’s objectives in this sector are:

• to reduce delays in the cross-border movement of people, goods and services by stablishing customs and immigration task teams to harmonise border crossing and visa procedures, 
• to reduce waiting time in ports by establishing PPP’s as well as granting concessions towards the construction, development and maintenance of ports, roads, railways and maritime transportation,
• to promote economic activity and cross-border trade through improved land transport linkages by the harmonisation of transport modal standards and regulations and the increased use of multimodal transport facilities,
• to increase air passenger and freight linkages across Africa’s subregions by promoting PPP’s in the rationalisation of the airline industry and by building capacity for air traffic control,
• to work with regional organisations to broaden the existing transport development
  corridors.

NePAD’s broad remit also includes the development of access to clean water and sanitation,
especially for the poor; to reduce poverty and increase empowerment, especially for women; to upgrade education and reverse the brain drain; to secure a health system that meets the needs of the continent
and effectively supports disease control; to improve agricultural performance and achieve food security in Africa and to nurture the environment.

African Union Commission (AUC)
The AUC is the Secretariat of the AU entrusted with executive functions. The Mission of the Commission is to become â€˜An efficient and value-adding institution driving the African integration and development process in close collaboration with African Union Member States, the Regional Economic Communities and African citizens’.

Regional Economic Communities (REC’s)
From its inception in 1963 the OAU identified the need for the economic integration of the continent as a prerequisite for economic development. The 1980 Lagos Plan of Action for the Development of Africa,
followed in 1991 by the Abuja Treaty to establish an African Economic Community (AEC) proposed the creation of REC’s as the basis for African integration. This Treaty provides for the AEC to be established
gradually over 34 years (2028). The Lusaka Summit in 2001 reaffirmed the status of the REC’s within the African Union and emphasised their close involvement in the formulation and implementation of all
programmes of the AU. There are currently eight REC’s recognised by the AU:

• Arab Maghreb Union (UMA)
• Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)
• Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD)
• East African Community (EAC)
• Economic Community of Centra African States (ECCAS)
• Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
• Intergovernmental Authority on Devel opment (IGAD)
• Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)

These REC’s are primarily trade blocs and are considered the ‘pillars’ of the anticipated AEC. Many of them overlap in their member states and it is considered likely that in time states with several memberships will drop out of one or more REC.

Chairperson of the AUC, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma stated in a speech delivered at the SADC Mozambique Summit in 2012 that, “The success of the African Union is dependent on the implementation of decisions made by regional economic communities.  Therefore, a strong, dynamic and symbiotic relationship between the African Union Commission and the Regional Economic Communities is critical for the integration and development of Africa.  Only through the construction of sustainable infrastructure can inter and intra-African trade succeed for the benefit of the continent’s people. This in turn requires the development of common standards and the harmonisation of legislation and other steps being taken within and between economic communities.”