AMPELOQUIO, KAREN S.

PUBLIC INTERNATINAL LAW

AFRICAN UNION
Towards a Peaceful, Prosperous and Integrated Africa
The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of all 55 countries on the African
continent, extending slightly into Asia via the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It was established on 26
May 2001 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and launched on 9 July 2002 in South Africa, with the aim
of replacing the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
The basic instrument of the organization is the Sirte Declaration which was the resolution
adopted by the Organisation of African Unity on 9 September 1999, at the fourth Extraordinary
Session of the OAU Assembly of African Heads of State and Government held at Sirte, Libya.
The Declaration announces decisions to establish the African Union.
The organizational structures are the Assembly of the Union; The Executive Council; The
Pan-African Parliament; The Court of Justice; The Commission; The Permanent
Representatives Committee; The Specialized Technical Committees; The Economic, Social
and Cultural Council; The Financial Institutions; and other organs that the Assembly may
decide to establish.
The powers and functions of the Assembly are to determine the common policies of the
Union.

The functions of the Executive Council shall co-ordinate and take decisions on policies in
areas of common interest to the Member States.

In the Pan-African Parliament, in order to ensure the full participation of African peoples in
the development and economic integration of the continent, a Pan-African Parliament shall be
established.

The Court of Justice shall be established. The statute, composition and functions of the Court
of Justice shall be defined in a protocol relating thereto.

The Commission shall be established a Commission of the Union, which shall be the
Secretariat of the Union.

The Permanent Representatives Committee shall be established a Permanent

Representatives Committee.

Functions of the Specialized Technical Committee shall within its field of competence:
prepare projects and programmes of the Union and submit in to the Executive Council.

The Economic, Social and Cultural Council shall be an advisory organ composed of
different social and professional groups of the Member States of the Union.

The Financial Institutions shall have the following financial institutions, whose rules
and regulations shall be defined in protocols relating thereto: The African Central Bank; The
African Monetary Fund; and The African Investment Bank.

The basic purpose of the organization are to achieve greater unity and solidarity between
the African counties and the peoples of Africa

To accomplish its purpose, the Union shall function in accordance with its principles:

Decisions of the Assembly and of the Executive Council are made by consensus or, failing
which, by a two-thirds majority of the Member States of the Union. However, procedural
matters, including the question of whether a matter is one of procedure or not, shall be decided
by a simple majority. Two-thirds of the total membership of the Union shall form a quorum at
any meeting of the Assembly.