African Union

=== Headquarters ===
{{Main|African Union Conference Center and Office Complex}}
The main administrative capital of the African Union is in [[Addis Ababa]], [[Ethiopia]], where the African Union Commission is headquartered. A new headquarters complex, the [[African Union Conference Center and Office Complex|AU Conference Center and Office Complex]] (AUCC), was inaugurated on 28 January 2012, during the 18th AU summit.<ref name="AU_NewHQ">Press release No 13 / 18th AU Summit : [http://www.au.int/en/sites/default/files/28%2001%202012_18SUMMIT_PR_INAUGURATION.pdf Inauguration of the new African Union Conference Center] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216164902/http://www.au.int/en/sites/default/files/28%2001%202012_18SUMMIT_PR_INAUGURATION.pdf|date=16 February 2012}}. Directorate of Information and Communication. [[African Union Commission]] (28 January 2012).</ref> The complex was built by [[China State Construction Engineering Corporation]] as a gift from the [[Government of the People's Republic of China|Chinese government]], and accommodates, among other facilities, a 2,500-seat plenary hall and a 20-story office tower. The tower is 99.9 meters high to signify the date 9 September 1999, when the [[Organisation of African Unity]] voted to become the African Union.<ref name="Chinadaily_NewHQ">{{cite web |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2012-01/30/content_14502354.htm |title=New headquarters shows partnership entering era of hope: Ethiopia PM |last=Linyan |first=Wang |website=[[China Daily]] |access-date=2 February 2012 |archive-date=29 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329195054/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2012-01/30/content_14502354.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The building cost US$200 million to construct.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |url=https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/if-china-bugged-the-au-headquarters-what-african-countries-should-be-worried/ |title=If China Bugged the AU Headquarters, What African Countries Should Be Worried? |last=Diplomat |first=Shannon Tiezzi, The |work=The Diplomat |access-date=4 February 2018 |archive-date=5 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205001133/https://thediplomat.com/2018/01/if-china-bugged-the-au-headquarters-what-african-countries-should-be-worried/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Espionage accusations ====
{{Main|2018 China–African Union espionage allegations}}
On 26 January 2018, five years after the completion of the building of the AU Headquarters, the French newspaper ''[[Le Monde]]''<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2018/01/26/a-addis-abeba-le-siege-de-l-union-africaine-espionne-par-les-chinois_5247521_3212.html |title=A Addis-Abeba, le siège de l'Union africaine espionné par Pékin |website=Le Monde.fr |date=26 January 2018 |language=fr |access-date=4 February 2018 |archive-date=4 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180204141153/http://www.lemonde.fr//afrique/article/2018/01/26/a-addis-abeba-le-siege-de-l-union-africaine-espionne-par-les-chinois_5247521_3212.html |url-status=live }}</ref> published an article stating that the Chinese government had heavily bugged the building, installing listening devices in the walls and furniture and setting up the computer system to copy data to servers in Shanghai daily.<ref name=":1" /> The Chinese government denied that they bugged the building, stating that the accusations were "utterly groundless and ridiculous."<ref name=":1" /> Ethiopian Prime Minister [[Hailemariam Desalegn]] rejected the French media report.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.enca.com/africa/au-spying-report-absurd-china |title=AU spying report absurd: China |website=enca.com |access-date=21 March 2018 |archive-date=24 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180824065955/https://www.enca.com/africa/au-spying-report-absurd-china |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Moussa Faki|Moussa Faki Mahamat]], head of the African Union Commission, said the allegations in the ''Le Monde''{{'}}s report were false. "These are totally false allegations and I believe that we are completely disregarding them."<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-africanunion/african-union-says-has-no-secret-dossiers-after-china-spying-report-idUSKBN1FS19W |title=African Union says has no secret dossiers after China spying report |website=reuter.com |date=8 February 2018 |access-date=21 March 2018 |archive-date=10 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180910185151/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-africanunion/african-union-says-has-no-secret-dossiers-after-china-spying-report-idUSKBN1FS19W |url-status=live |last1=Blanchard |first1=Ben }}</ref> The African Union replaced its Chinese-supplied servers and started encrypting its communications following the event.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/29/16946802/china-african-union-spying-hq-cybersecurity-computers-backdoors-espionage|title=China denies claims it built backdoors into African Union's headquarters for spying|last=Statt|first=Nick|date=2018-01-29|website=The Verge|language=en|access-date=2019-10-09|archive-date=9 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191009144348/https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/29/16946802/china-african-union-spying-hq-cybersecurity-computers-backdoors-espionage|url-status=live}}</ref>