African Union

== History ==
{{Main|History of the African Union|History of Africa}}
The historical foundations of the African Union originated in the '''First Congress of Independence African States''', held in [[Accra]], [[Ghana]], from 15 to 22 April 1958. The conference aimed at forming the [[Africa Day]], to mark the liberation movement each year concerning the willingness of the African people to free themselves from foreign dictatorship, as well as subsequent attempts to unite Africa, including the [[Organisation of African Unity]] (OAU), which was established on 25 May 1963, and the [[African Economic Community]] in 1981.<ref>[https://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/history-africa-day-25-may] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181210205406/http://www.sahistory.org.za/topic/history-africa-day-25-may|date=10 December 2018}} South African History Online (SAHO), 15 May 2018.</ref> Critics argued that the OAU in particular did little to protect the rights and liberties of African citizens from their own political leaders, often dubbing it the "Dictators' Club".<ref name="bbc2115736"/>

The idea of creating the AU was revived in the mid-1990s under the leadership of Libyan head of state [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]]:<ref>{{Cite web|date=2011-08-26|title=Gaddafi: the man who would be king of Africa |first=Adekeye |last=Adebajo |url=http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/26/gaddafi-legacy-meddling-africa|access-date=2021-03-31|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414011605/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/26/gaddafi-legacy-meddling-africa|url-status=live}}</ref> the heads of state and government of the OAU issued the [[Sirte Declaration]] (named after Sirte, in Libya) on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of an African Union.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2011-12-05|title=The African Union After Gaddafi |url=http://blogs.shu.edu/journalofdiplomacy/2011/12/the-african-union-after-gaddafi/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=The Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations |language=en-US|archive-date=10 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410172928/http://blogs.shu.edu/journalofdiplomacy/2011/12/the-african-union-after-gaddafi/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Declaration was followed by summits at [[Lomé]] in 2000, when the [[Constitutive Act of the African Union]] was adopted, and at [[Lusaka]] in 2001, when the plan for the implementation of the African Union was adopted. During the same period, the initiative for the establishment of the [[New Partnership for Africa's Development]] (NEPAD), was also established.<ref>{{Cite web|title=African leaders elect OAU boss|date=July 10, 2001|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/africa/07/10/summit.secretary/index.html|access-date=2021-03-31|website=CNN |archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414032647/https://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/africa/07/10/summit.secretary/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-08-27|title=New Partnership for Africa's Development – NEPAD {{!}} Poverty Eradication|url=https://www.un.org/development/desa/socialperspectiveondevelopment/issues/new-partnership-for-africas-development-nepad.html/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=www.un.org|language=en-US|archive-date=19 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419153619/https://www.un.org/development/desa/socialperspectiveondevelopment/issues/new-partnership-for-africas-development-nepad.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The African Union was launched in [[Durban]] on 9 July 2002, by its first chairperson, Former South African head of state [[Thabo Mbeki]], at the first session of the Assembly of the African Union.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-11-18|title=The African Union is launched|url=https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/september-2002/african-union-launched|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Africa Renewal|language=en|archive-date=16 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416010303/https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/september-2002/african-union-launched|url-status=live}}</ref> The second session of the Assembly was in [[Maputo]] in 2003, and the third session in [[Addis Ababa]] on 6 July 2004.

Since 2010, the African Union eyes the establishment of a joint African [[space agency]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=David |title=Africa prepares to join the big boys in the space race |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/05/africa-space-programme-david-smith |newspaper=The Guardian |date=5 September 2010 |access-date=16 December 2016 |archive-date=16 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161116213335/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/05/africa-space-programme-david-smith |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Smith |first=David |title=Sudanese president calls for African space agency |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/06/sudanese-president-african-space-agency |newspaper=The Guardian |date=6 September 2012 |access-date=16 December 2016 |archive-date=2 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102203403/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/06/sudanese-president-african-space-agency |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://phys.org/news/2012-09-ministers-african-space-agency.html |title=Africa eyes joint space agency |publisher=Phys.org |date=11 September 2012 |access-date=21 October 2013 |archive-date=21 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021070210/http://phys.org/news/2012-09-ministers-african-space-agency.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201008090886.html |title=AU to Establish African Space Agency |first1=Onyebuchi |last1=Ezigbo |first2=Lois |last2=Okpara |publisher=All Africa |date=9 August 2010 |access-date=11 December 2015 |archive-date=12 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212084442/http://allafrica.com/stories/201008090886.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Barack Obama]] was the first-ever sitting United States president to speak in front of the African Union in Addis Ababa, on 29 July 2015. With his speech, he encouraged the world to increase economic ties via investments and trade with the [[Outline of Africa|continent]], and lauded the progresses made in [[Education in Africa|education]], infrastructure and [[Economy of Africa|economy]]. But he also criticised a lack of democracy and leaders who refuse to step down, discrimination against minorities (including [[LGBT]] people, religious groups and ethnicities) and corruption. He suggested an intensified [[democratisation]] and free trade, to significantly increase living quality for Africans.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Carol E. |title=Obama Becomes First U.S. President to Address African Union |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-becomes-first-u-s-president-to-address-african-union-1438090849 |newspaper=The Wall Street Journal |date=28 July 2015 |access-date=29 July 2015 |archive-date=29 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150729094216/http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-becomes-first-u-s-president-to-address-african-union-1438090849 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Remarks by President Obama to the People of Africa |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/07/28/remarks-president-obama-people-africa |via=[[National Archives and Records Administration|National Archives]] |work=[[whitehouse.gov]] |date=28 July 2015 |access-date=29 July 2015 |archive-date=20 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120220442/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2015/07/28/remarks-president-obama-people-africa |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Treaties ===
{{AU evolution timeline}}