The African region is one of the most primitive compared with other areas in the

world. Most of the countries in this region is poor countries and require assistance from abroad.
Only a small part in this area that is a country that is able to compete with other countries in the
region. The African region for the Western world itself is considered a place that is not secure in
the world, this caused a lot of conflict between ethnic war, the existence of the international
criminal syndicates, the existence of international mercenaries syndicates and place bersarangnya
terrorists.

• Development of regionalism Africa

The emergence of regionalisme in Africa appears in the 1960s when almost all countries
in the continent struggling for independence from colonialist Western nations. Pan-Afrika
movement is the first organization of the emergence of regionalisme in Africa. The emergence of
this movement is a decolonisation efforts by African countries to remove themselves from the
colonialists and domination of the west. Since the 1960s, this movement has sought to make the
African region obtain sovereignty and be free from foreign domination. The charter of Addis
Ababa is a milestone for the new history with the formation of the Organization of the African
Union (Organization of African at Unity). Pembentukkan OAU itself aims to remove themselves
from colonialism and apartheid, as well as the unification of the African countries in a regional
organization. In performing the tasks and functions, OAU remains stuck on non-intervention
into the land of each member states that it does not cause any new source of conflict that may
threaten the security of the entire region. In the OAU itself there are a number of sub-regional
organizations such as the African Economic Community pembentukkan (African Economic
Community) who have long term goals in building Africa move society and production factor
that is free, create a single market the domestic economy and monetary unity single bank, single
currency and the parliament Pan-Afrika. In addition to the AEC Offices there are Arab Maghreb
Union (AMU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Common Market
for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Southern Africa Development Community
(SADC), Intergovermental Authority on Development Cooperation and Community of
Sahelian-Sahara States (per cent of SAD).

Since the year 2002 OAU has been transformed into the African Union (African
Union). The mandate given to the AU more on the unity of political, economic integration and
the creation of the stabilization of the security of this area. Representing 53 countries in Africa,
AU is the successor of the OAU established in 1963, who worked to bring African countries to
get and strengthen their independence from the European countries, which have rule over them
with violence, for several decades. OAU stand against colonialism, apartheid, and dependence on
foreign countries, meanwhile AU emphasized on democracy and human rights and economic
development. Main mission AU relatively new namely creating a greater unity and cooperation
between member countries and among the nations of Africa in order to improve the condition
of life in the continent (www.africa-union.org). 53 member states hope that organizations will
allow African countries to more heard in discussions and global negotiations.

• challenges for regionalism Africa

 As a regional organization, the challenges faced by the African Union very heavy, both
in terms of internal and external areas. When compared to a glance with regional organizations in
the Asian region, for example, clearly visible that the African Union has still not been able to
show the influence of or their existence in the international world. There are several factors
associated with the development of regionalisme in Africa. These factors include the condition
of the geography Africa is dominated by the region of the wilderness that desolate, technology
and human resources that less educated, and the high rate of crime such as human rights
violations, terrorism and other internal problems. The condition makes the developed countries
have been reluctant to start the investment or investment in Africa. This is of course the effect
on the growth of the African countries themselves by at least the role of foreign party
(developed countries in Africa, globalisation also will be difficult to reach the country.

The first thing that must be changed is about human resources in Africa is less experts.
Regional organizations such as the African Union and the government should conduct a training
for African community so that the community labor can maximize efforts in the land. When the
human resources in Africa can be upgraded to professional level, then the economy of Africa
will be increased also. Second, the problem of technology. With the existence of the human
resources is good, technology will also be upgraded to a global scale. Third, the problem of
criminality that difficult once completed. If the problem of crime in Africa can diminimalisasi,
then the developed countries may not be reluctant to forge cooperation with Africa and this
course will be able to promote regionalisme in Africa.

The challenges faced by the African Union in accordance with the listed in the Strategic
Plan of the Commission of the African Union is 1. Had weak eyes linkages and bridges between the
resources of the continent ; to unite or integrate an area, there needs to be an infrastructure that can
facilitate the mobility of society in the exchange of ideas and experiences. This is still a challenge
for the African Union which is the condition of the road infrastructure, a railway, bridges and
telecommunications are still not complete so many areas that are still difficult to reach. 2. The
Weakness of the existing capacities in the Commission ; The Commission of the African Union was formed as
the engine for the unity of the region but in practice, the capacity of the commission a regional organization is still
not enough to be able to realize the objectives of the organization. 3. Raked Cacophony ; the next challenge for
the African Union is how to unite institutions regionally and sub-regional to work together and
structured with good so that they can work more effectively and does not occur overlapping. 4. The
Challenge of Creating Effective Governance Instrument for the African Union ; there are several important
part in the African Union. First, the commission that serves as a motor ° union. Second, member
states that function as managers in the field of politics. Then, Pan-African Parliament and the
ECOSOCC as control over the course of democracy. Fourth, REC (Regional Economic
Community) as the building blocks of union. fifth court of justice as institutions judicial killings,
and African Court of Human and People's rights. The challenge for the African Union then is how to grow the
understanding between the vital organs in the African Union itself so that every organ can function properly

• as solution or the problem of regionalism

As a regional organization, the African Union has goals to achieving the integration of
Africa as a whole. The existence of regional organizations African Union in general is intended to
achieve the improvement of the quality of life in Africa itself. The improvement of the quality of life
is like in the field of health, education, prosperity and democracy in African countries. Of course is
also committed to the existence of cooperation and integration of African countries thoroughly.
 Improvement of the existing barriers will eventually give a hope and the prospects for the
survival of the African Union itself. Improvement there as pursue peace and defuse the conflict is a
way out the best for the African Union. With the effort to defuse conflicts such as by forming the
Solemn Declaration at the Conference on security, stability, Development and Cooperation in
Africa (CSSDCA) and The Memorandum of Understanding on security, stability, Development and
Cooperation in Africa (Mkwezalamba and Chinyama, 2007) Africa is faced with a new chapter in the
face of the future. In addition, the most important thing is the pengadobsian Protocol relating to the
establishment of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) into the African Union.

The conclusion from this review is seen that the biggest prospects of the African Union is
the establishment of a regional organization that can accommodate the interests of African
countries. The prospect of the African Union is of course must be supported by the increase and
improvement of the quality of life of African countries as mentioned above. This is because all
existing prospects and potential as the success of the African Union will not appear if there are still
obstacles. Therefore, the African Union must overcome the first obstacles facing.

One of the things that the prospect of the success of the African Union in the future is
abundant natural resources. But when the potential of the natural resources are still overlaying
process by the conflicts of interest, then the prospect of the African Union as a regional
organizations that strive to complete integration countries in Africa will not reach the point of
success. Therefore, again can be mentioned that the African Union must first minimise obstacles to
the potential and prospects for the success of the African Union as a regional organization can be
achieved with maximum.

References :

Bach, Daniel. 2005. "The Global politics of Regionalism: Africa" in Farrel, Mary, and Hettne,
Bjone, and Luke Van Langenhove (eds.), Global politics of Regionalism: Theory and Practice. London :
Pluto Press.

Shaw, Timothy M. 2002. The New Regionalism in Africa in the New Millennium:
Comparative Perspectives on Renaissance, confound essentially, and Regressions" in New
Regionalism in the Global Political Economy, by Shaun Breslin, Christopher W. Hughes,
Nicola Phillips and Ben Rosamond (eds.). London: Routledge.

Somerville, Keith. 1999. "Africa after the Cold War: Frozen Out or frozen in time?", in
Louise Fawcett and Yezid Sayigh (eds.) The Third World Beyond the Cold War: continuity
and change. Oxford : Oxford University Press.