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Organisation of African Unity

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The Organisation of African Unity(OAU; French: Organisation Organisation of African Unity

de l'unité africaine (OUA)) was established on 25 May 1963 Organisation de l'Unité Africaine
in Addis Ababa, with 32 signatory governments.[1] It was
1963–2002
disbanded on 9 July 2002 by its last chairperson, South
AfricanPresident Thabo Mbeki, and replaced by the African
Union (AU).

Contents [hide]
1 Aims Flag Emblem

2 List of Chairpersons
3 List of Secretaries-general
4 OAU Summits
5 OAU members by date of admission (53 states)
6 See also
7 References
8 Further reading

Aims [ edit ]

This section needs

additional citations
for verification. Please
Capital n/a a
help improve this Government Not specified
article by adding Secretary-general
citations to reliable • 1963–1964 Kifle Wodajo
sources. Unsourced
• 1964–1972 Diallo Telli
material may be
• 1972–1974 Nzo Ekangaki
challenged and
removed.(May 2013) • 1974–1978 William Eteki
(Learn how and when to • 1978–1983 Edem Kodjo
remove this template • 1983–1985 Peter Onu
message) • 1985–1989 Ide Oumarou
• 1989–2001 Salim Ahmed Salim
The OAU had the following primary aims: • 2001–2002 Amara Essy
To co-ordinate and intensify the co-operation History
of African states in order to achieve a better life for the • Charter 25 May 1963
• Disbanded 9 July 2002
people of Africa.[1]

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To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and Preceded by Succeeded by

independence of African states. Casablanca African

Group Union
The OAU was also dedicated to the eradication of all forms Monrovia Group
of colonialism and white minority rule as, when it was
a Headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
established, there were several states that had not yet won
their independence or were white minority-ruled. South
Africa and Angola were two such countries. The OAU proposed two ways of ridding the continent of
colonialism and white minority rule. Firstly, it would defend the interests of independent countries and help to
pursue the independence those of still-colonised ones. Secondly, it would remain neutral in terms of world
affairs, preventing its members from being controlled once more by outside powers.

A Liberation Committee was established to aid independence movements and look after the interests of already-
independent states. The OAU also aimed to stay neutral in terms of global politics, which would prevent them
from being controlled once more by outside forces – an especial danger with the Cold War.

The OAU had other aims, too: Part of a series on the

Ensure that all Africans enjoyed human rights. History of the

Raise the living standards of all Africans. African Union
History of Africa
Settle arguments and disputes between members – not through
Union of African States
fighting but rather peaceful and diplomatic negotiation. Organisation of African Unity
African Economic Community
Soon after achieving independence, a number of African states
Sirte Declaration
expressed a growing desire for more unity within the continent. Not Constitutive Act of the African Union
everyone was agreed on how this unity could be achieved, Union Launch
however, and two opinionated groups emerged in this respect: VTE

The Casablanca bloc, led by Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana,

wanted a federation of all African countries. Aside from Ghana, it comprised
also Algeria, Guinea, Morocco, Egypt, Mali and Libya. Founded in 1961, its members were described as
"progressive states".
The Monrovian bloc, led by Senghor of Senegal, felt that unity should be achieved gradually, through
economic cooperation. It did not support the notion of a political federation. Its other members
were Nigeria, Liberia, Ethiopiaand most of the former French colonies.

Some of the initial discussions took place at Sanniquellie, Liberia. The dispute was eventually resolved
when Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I invited the two groups to Addis Ababa, where the OAU and its
headquarters were subsequently established. The Charter of the Organisation was signed by 32 independent
African states.

At the time of the OAU's disbanding, 53 out of the 54 African states were members; Morocco left on 12
November 1984 following the admission of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as the government of Western
Sahara in 1982.

The organisation was widely derided as a bureaucratic "talking shop" with little power. It struggled to enforce its
decisions, and its lack of armed force made intervention exceedingly difficult. Civil wars in Nigeria and Angola
continued unabated for years, and the OAU could do nothing to stop them.

The policy of non-interference in the affairs of member states also limited the effectiveness of the OAU. Thus,
when human rightswere violated, as in Uganda under Idi Amin in the 1970s, the OAU was powerless to stop
them.

The Organisation was praised by Ghanaian former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan for bringing
Africans together. Nevertheless, in its 39 years of existence, critics argue that the OAU did little to protect the
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rights and liberties of African citizens from their own political leaders, often dubbing it as a "Dictators' Club"[2]or
"Dictator's Trade Union".

The OAU was, however, successful in some respects. Many of its members were members of the UN, too, and
they stood together within the latter organisation to safeguard African interests – especially in respect of lingering
colonialism. Its pursuit of African unity, therefore, was in some ways successful.

Total unity was difficult to achieve, however, as the OAU was largely divided. The former French colonies, still
dependent on France, had formed the Monrovia Group, and there was a further split between those that
supported the United States and those that supported the USSR in the Cold War of ideologies. The pro-
Socialistfaction was led by Kwame Nkrumah, while Félix Houphouët-Boigny of the Ivory Coast led the pro-
capitalists. Because of these divisions, it was difficult for the OAU to take action against states involved in internal
conflicts because it could rarely reach an agreement on what was to be done.

The OAU did play a pivotal role in eradicating colonialism and white minority rule in Africa. It gave weapons,
training and military bases to rebel groups fighting white minority and colonial rule. Groups such as the ANC and
PAC, fighting apartheid, and ZANU and ZAPU, fighting to topple the government of Rhodesia, were aided in their
endeavours by the OAU. African harbours were closed to the South African government, and South African
aircraft were prohibited from flying over the rest of the continent. The UN was convinced by the OAU to expel
South Africa from bodies such as the World Health Organisation.

The OAU also worked with the UN to ease refugee problems. It set up the African Development Bank for
economic projects intended to make Africa financially stronger. Although all African countries eventually won
their independence, it remained difficult for them to become totally independent of their former colonisers. There
was often continued reliance on the former colonial powers for economic aid, which often came with strings
attached: loans had to be paid back at high interest-rates, and goods had to be sold to the aiders at low rates.

The USA and USSR intervened in post-colonial Africa in pursuit of their own objectives. Help was sometimes
provided in the form of technology and aid-workers. Despite the fight to keep "Westerners" (Colonialists) out of
African affairs,the OAU has failed to achieve to meet goals set up to advocate African affairs. The Organisation
still heavily depends on Western help (Military and Economic) to intervene in African affairs despite African
leaders displeasure dealing with the international community especially Western Countries.

Autonomous specialised agencies, working under the auspices of the OAU, were:

Pan-African Telecommunications Union(PATU)

Pan-African Postal Union(PAPU)
Pan-African News Agency(PANA)
Union of African National Television and Radio Organisations (URTNA)
Union of African Railways(UAR)
Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU)
Supreme Council for Sports in Africa
African Civil Aviation Commission

List of Chairpersons [ edit ]

Main article: Chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity

List of Secretaries-general [ edit ]

Main article: Secretary General of the Organisation of African Unity

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OAU Summits [ edit ]

Host City Host Country Date

Addis Ababa Ethiopia 22–25 May 1963
Cairo Egypt 17–21 July 1964
Accra Ghana 21–26 October 1965
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 5–9 November 1966
Democratic
Kinshasa 11–14 September 1967
Republic of the Congo
Algiers Algeria 13–16 September 1968
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 6–10 September 1969
Egypt´s president Nasser at the
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 1–3 September 1970
Cairo summit 1964
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 21–23 June 1971
Rabat Morocco 12–15 June 1972
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 27–28 May 1973
International oppositionto
apartheid in South Africa
Mogadishu Somalia 1974
Campaigns [show]
Kampala Uganda 28 July – 1 August 1975
Instruments and legislation [show]
Port Louis Mauritius 2–6 July 1976
Organisations [show]
Libreville Gabon 2–5 July 1977
Conferences [show]
Khartoum Sudan 18–22 July 1978
UN Security Council Resolutions [show]
Monrovia Liberia 17–20 July 1979
Freetown Sierra Leone 1–4 July 1980 Other aspects [show]

Nairobi Kenya 24–27 June- 1981 VTE

Addis Ababa Ethiopia 6–12 June 1983

Addis Ababa Ethiopia 12–15 November 1984 African Union
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 18–20 July 1985
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 28–30 July 1986
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 27–29 July- 1987
Extraordinary Summit:
Addis Ababa Ethiopia
October 1987 This article is part of a series on the
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 25–28 May 1988 politics and government of
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 24–26 July 1989 the African Union

Addis Ababa Ethiopia 9–11 July 1990 Institutions [show]

Abuja Nigeria 3–5 July 1991 Executive [show]

Dakar Senegal 29 June – 1 July 1992 Legislature [show]

Cairo Egypt 28–30 June 1993 Judiciary [show]

Tunis Tunisia 13–15 June 1994 Advisory bodies [show]

Addis Ababa Ethiopia 26–28 June 1995 Financial bodies [show]

Yaoundé Cameroon 8–10 June 1996 Decentralised bodies [show]

Harare Zimbabwe 2–4 June 1997 Related topics [show]

Ouagadougou Burkina Faso 8–10 June 1998 Other countriesAtlas
Algiers Algeria 12–14 July 1999
VTE
Extraordinary Summit 6–9
Sirte Libya
September 1999
Lomé Togo 10–12 July 2000
9–11 July 2001, the last
Lusaka Zambia
OAU summit

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OAU members by date of admission (53 states) [ edit ]

Indicates no longer member

Date Countries Notes

Algeria
Burundi
Cameroon
Central
African Republic
Chad
Congo
Democratic
Republic of the 1971–97 Zaire
Congo
Dahomey From 1975 Benin
Egypt
Ethiopia
Gabon
Ghana
Guinea
Ivory Coast From 1985 Côte d'Ivoire
Liberia
Libya
25 May Madagascar
1963
Mali
Mauritania
Morocco Withdrew 12 November 1984 protesting the membership of Western Sahara
Niger
Nigeria
Rwanda
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Sudan
Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic
Tanganyika of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which was renamed Tanzania 1 November
1964.
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
Upper Volta From 1984 Burkina Faso
Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic
Zanzibar of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which was renamed Tanzania 1 November
1964.
13
December Kenya
1963
13 July
Malawi
1964
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16 Zambia
December
1964
October Gambia
1965
31 Botswana
October
1966 Lesotho
August Mauritius
1968
24
September Swaziland
1968
12 Equatorial
October
Guinea
1968
19
Guinea-
November
Bissau
1973
11
February Angola
1975
Cape Verde
Comoros
18 July
1975 Mozambique
São Tomé
and Príncipe
29 June
Seychelles
1976
27 June
Djibouti
1977
1 June
Zimbabwe
1980
22
Western
February
Sahara
1982
3 June
Namibia
1990
24 May
Eritrea
1993
6 June South Africa
1994

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