Topics Covered:
- Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.
African Union
What to study?
For Prelims and Mains: AU- objectives, composition, functions and significance.
Context: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has taken over as the chair of the African Union (AU). The post of AU’s chair rotates annually between the five regions of the continent.
About AU:
- The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of 55 countries of the continent of Africa, with exception of various territories of European possessions located in Africa.
- The bloc was founded on 26 May 2001 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and launched on 9 July 2002 in South Africa.
- The intention of the AU is to replace the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa by 32 signatory governments.
- The most important decisions of the AU are made by the Assembly of the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of the heads of state and government of its member states.
- The AU’s secretariat, the African Union Commission, is based in Addis Ababa.
Key objectives: To achieve greater unity and solidarity between the African countries and Africans. To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States. To accelerate the political and social-economic integration of the continent.
Sources: the hindu.
