| |
Back to Index
Towards
a People-Driven African Union
Africa Governance,
Monitoring and Advocacy Project (AfriMAP) jointly with Oxfam-GB
and AFRODAD
January
2007
http://www.afrimap.org/english/images/report/AU_People-DrivenNov07.pdf
Download
this document
- Acrobat
PDF version (294KB)
If you do not have the free Acrobat reader
on your computer, download it from the Adobe website by clicking
here.
Findings
and Recommendations
This
report presents research on the preparations for and conduct of
African Union summits, from some of the civil society organisations
currently working with the African Union to realise its own vision.
It concludes that, although signifi cant space has been opened up
for greater and more sustained participation by a diversity of interested
groups, the promise of a people-driven African Union (AU) remains
largely unfulfi lled. Inadequate institutional capacity and inappropriate
policies and procedures have hindered the realisation of the vision
that the AU should build ‘a partnership between governments and
all segments of civil society ... to strengthen solidarity and cohesion
among our peoples’.
The advent of
the AU in 2001 raised hopes of a strong, united continent composed
of peaceful, democratic states respectful of good governance, human
rights and the rule of law. The establishment of new organs, including
the Peace and Security Council, the Pan-African Parliament and the
Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), as well as the
AU’s absorption of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development
(NEPAD)
and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), added to the widespread
belief that a new African era could be in the making.
For virtually
the fi rst time since the founding of the AU’s predecessor, the
Organisation of African Unity (OAU),
in 1963, African civil society was recognised as an important player
in developing the continent. Nowhere was this more evident than
in the inclusion of ECOSOCC in the organs created by the AU Constitutive
Act, giving civil society representatives a formal advisory role
in AU institutions and decisionmaking processes.
On a number of
fronts, the mood was optimistic. The setting up of the Pan-African
Parliament in March 2004 provided further affi rmation that, unlike
the OAU, the AU would operate on the basis of a decentralised model
with several sources of authority. On his appointment to head the
AU Commission in 2002, Chairperson Alpha Konaré reiterated
his personal commitment to involving civil society in the development
of the Commission’s vision and mission. Key civil society organisations
reoriented their programmes around AU priorities.
However, many
institutional obstacles still block the realisation of the African
Union’s original vision. There is a growing perception among civil
society organisations that the initial AU enthusiasm for non-state
participation in its policy development processes has given way
to a more closed stance. Despite the reorganisation of the former
OAU secretariat into the AU Commission, many staff seemed to retain
their old habits and attitudes. There are still considerable diffi
culties in obtaining access to information about policies and documents
under discussion by AU organs, preventing effective participation
by Africa’s citizens in continental decision-making processes.
Moreover, as this
report shows, the sheer proliferation of AU ministerial meetings,
ordinary and extraordinary summits is taking a heavy toll on both
the AU Commission and governments. Unless Commission budget shortfalls
and capacity constraints in member states are remedied, the African
Union will not be able to deliver on the promise of its decisions,
resolutions and treaties. The report calls on the African Union Commission
and member states to take urgent action to simplify and improve the
multiplicity of legal frameworks, incoherent institutional arrangements
and unclear policies and procedures, and to provide more consistent
and timely access to documentation in all its processes.
The planned review of the
working methods of the AU’s institutions constitutes an important
opportunity to regain momentum. To this end, the fi ndings and recommendations
below are offered in the hope that they can contribute constructively
to this process.
Download
full document
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
TOP
|
