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The African Union （AU） this year will mark its 50th anniversary since the founding of the Organization of African Unity （OAU）， a precursor to the current organization， on May 25， 1963. It was the first demonstration of the continent’s desire for integration， displaying a collective spirit that brought together 32 governments to sign the OAU Charter in Addis Ababa， a membership that has since increased to 54.
Africa has made commendable strides in economic and political spheres in spite of a conspiracy of formidable problems. This has largely been possible thanks to integration at both regional and continental levels， which facilitated the upgrading of economies of scale by implementing cross-border development programs. Indeed， it was the recognition of these problems that inspired yester-year Pan-Africanists in founding the OAU.
Underscored prior to the formation of the OAU was that integration was a process and not an event.
The process that saw the founding of the OAU as an integrationist body had its inspiration beyond the continent. One such source emanated from the Bandung Conference in April 1955， with the gathering of 29 governments of African， Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Pan-Africanists at this conference brought to Africa lessons of integration already learned.
China and India are credited with having mooted the concept of integration in 1954. Significantly， the integration concept was captured in a resolution which sought “to build solidarity among recently independent nations.”
Africa’s foremost Pan-Africanist， Ghana’s first President Kwame Nkrumah， best summed up the continent’s future： “Here is a challenge which destiny has thrown out to the leaders of Africa. It is for us to grasp that golden opportunity to prove that the genius of African people can surmount the separatist tendencies in sovereign nationhood by coming together speedily， for the sake of Africa’s greater glory and infinite well-being， into a Union of African States.”
There are fundamental differences in the focus of the OAU and the AU， which received its new name on July 9， 2002， in Durban， South Africa. While the OAU’s focus was on political integration， the AU seeks to address social and economic issues and also tackle challenges brought about by globalization.
The OAU’s first challenge was to unify two groups. These were Casablanca and Monrovia groups. The former， regarded as Communist and led by Ghana’s Nkrumah， advocated a federation of African states. The group included Algeria， Morocco， Egypt and Libya.
Africa has made commendable strides in economic and political spheres in spite of a conspiracy of formidable problems. This has largely been possible thanks to integration at both regional and continental levels， which facilitated the upgrading of economies of scale by implementing cross-border development programs. Indeed， it was the recognition of these problems that inspired yester-year Pan-Africanists in founding the OAU.
Underscored prior to the formation of the OAU was that integration was a process and not an event.
The process that saw the founding of the OAU as an integrationist body had its inspiration beyond the continent. One such source emanated from the Bandung Conference in April 1955， with the gathering of 29 governments of African， Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Pan-Africanists at this conference brought to Africa lessons of integration already learned.
China and India are credited with having mooted the concept of integration in 1954. Significantly， the integration concept was captured in a resolution which sought “to build solidarity among recently independent nations.”
Africa’s foremost Pan-Africanist， Ghana’s first President Kwame Nkrumah， best summed up the continent’s future： “Here is a challenge which destiny has thrown out to the leaders of Africa. It is for us to grasp that golden opportunity to prove that the genius of African people can surmount the separatist tendencies in sovereign nationhood by coming together speedily， for the sake of Africa’s greater glory and infinite well-being， into a Union of African States.”
There are fundamental differences in the focus of the OAU and the AU， which received its new name on July 9， 2002， in Durban， South Africa. While the OAU’s focus was on political integration， the AU seeks to address social and economic issues and also tackle challenges brought about by globalization.
The OAU’s first challenge was to unify two groups. These were Casablanca and Monrovia groups. The former， regarded as Communist and led by Ghana’s Nkrumah， advocated a federation of African states. The group included Algeria， Morocco， Egypt and Libya.