In question: Can the African Union adapt to the 21st centruy?
On 9 September, the African Union celebrated AU Day, marking 22 years since its launch in Durban. Over the past two decades, the organisation has overseen transformative changes across Africa, but its relevance is being questioned amid persistent challenges.
Is the AU still Africa’s visionary body for unity and progress, or is it becoming bogged down by bureaucracy and inaction?
Founded with the goal of Pan-Africanism, promoting unity and development, the AU aimed to surpass the symbolic role of its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). Its mandate: address pressing issues and lay the groundwork for long-term growth.
As we celebrate its successes, we must ask: can the AU adapt to the 21st century, or will it follow the OAU into obsolescence?
Since its inception, the AU has promoted peace, stability and development. Its early interventions in military coups, such as in Mauritania, Togo, and Guinea-Bissau, earned it global recognition. The AU’s peacekeeping missions, including deployments to Burundi and Darfur, played key roles in stabilising violence without foreign intervention. But can the AU sustain this momentum amid rising instability?
The AU’s creation of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is pivotal in public health. During Covid-19, the Africa CDC coordinated responses, distributed vaccines and developed strategies that mitigated the pandemic’s effects, showcasing the AU’s ability to address crises beyond conflict.
In economic development, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is perhaps the AU’s most visionary achievement. It aims to boost intra-African trade by reducing tariffs and creating a unified market. According to the World Bank, the AfCFTA could boost Africa’s income by $450 billion by 2035. Yet implementation lags, and Africa’s full potential remains untapped.
The AU, despite significant successes, faces major challenges. Member states are often reluctant to relinquish sovereign powers, hindering the AU’s ability to intervene in conflicts or coordinate development. Recent crises in Ethiopia, Sudan and Mali highlight the AU’s difficulty in exerting meaningful influence.
Many African nations, having gained independence, are wary of external control, even from a pan-African body. National interests frequently clash with the AU’s broader goals, making unified political will elusive. The result? Conflicts escalate, solutions are delayed, and millions suffer.
Financial constraints deepen these cracks. Less than 40% of the AU’s budget is funded by member states, with some consistently failing to pay their dues. This over-reliance on external donors such as the European Union and the United Nations compromises the AU’s autonomy. Its reliance on foreign funding has led to accusations of becoming a puppet of external forces. How can an organisation built on unity be truly free if foreign donors control its funding?
The AU’s workforce is also under-resourced. With only 1,720 employees, 60% of whom are on short-term contracts, the AU struggles to implement policies. By comparison, the EU employs 32,000 permanent staff to serve 27 countries. This disparity highlights the AU’s operational limitations, compounded by its financial shortfall. How can we expect the AU to lead Africa’s future if it’s crippled by under-resourcing?
Critics argue the AU has become too bureaucratic, lacking the agility to address fast-moving crises like Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
The AU has been criticised for its inability to adequately address key issues such as youth unemployment, infrastructure development and climate change. With Africa home to the youngest population in the world, the AU faces mounting pressure to deliver tangible results. Can the AU meet the expectations of its people, or will it become another stagnant institution?
Without substantial reforms, the AU risks repeating the failures of the OAU. Africa cannot afford another 20 years of stagnation. The AU must act boldly and embrace reform. Its ability to function as a diplomatic and military bloc capable of stabilising conflict zones must be restored. A return to the proactive peacekeeping model of the early 2000s, backed by real political will from member states, would help the AU regain its credibility.
To achieve this, funding and a renewed commitment to collective security over national interests are essential. The AU must also be equipped to act swiftly in crisis situations, cutting through bureaucratic red tape.
The AfCFTA’s full realisation must be prioritised. Intra-African trade currently accounts for just 15% of total trade. By fostering greater economic integration, the AU can unlock Africa’s potential, create jobs and lift millions out of poverty. But this requires infrastructure, trust and political will across borders. The AU must drive, not follow, this process.
Member states must be willing to cede some sovereignty. The AU cannot operate as a true pan-African body if national interests consistently overshadow collective goals. Increased financial contributions from within Africa is vital to reducing dependency on foreign donors.
AU Day should celebrate the union’s achievements, but also serve as a rallying cry for action. The AU has laid the foundation for a more united and prosperous Africa, but the road ahead is long.
By embracing reform, financial independence and a renewed commitment to integration, the AU can become a force capable of navigating Africa through the 21st century. Otherwise, it risks becoming another relic of grand ideals.
Lindani Zungu is the founder Voices of Mzansi.