Overview

The African Union, or AU, is a pan-African organisation whose goal is to propel a united continent towards peace and prosperity.

The AU supports political and economic integration among its 53 member nations. It aims to boost development, eradicate poverty and bring Africa into the global economy.

The AU succeeded the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 2002. In its later years the OAU - which originated in the decolonisation struggles of the early 1960s - had been criticised for becoming a mere talking shop.

• Overview | History

East Africa seeks more Nile water from Egypt

05.14.2010

Four East African states have signed an agreement to seek more water from the River Nile - a move strongly opposed by Egypt and Sudan.

Saharan states to open joint military headquarters

04.22.2010

Four Saharan desert states are to open a joint command headquarters in Algeria to co-ordinate efforts to counter the growing regional threat from al-Qaeda.

African Union suspends Niger after military coup

02.20.2010

The African Union has suspended Niger following Thursday's military coup, in which President Mamadou Tandja was deposed and the government dissolved.

EAC region eyes single tourist visa

02.16.2010

The much-touted single tourist visa for the East Africa partner states will take sometime to materialise. The partner states are still consulting on the matter with a possibility of a trial visa introduced first, as they try to harmonise their tourism policies and laws.

Sudan and Chad to end hostilities

02.10.2010

Sudan says it is ready for a full normalisation of relations with neighbouring Chad, raising hopes of an end to the conflict in Darfur.

Sudan like a powder keg, says AU chief Jean Ping

01.29.2010

A vote for independence in oil-rich Southern Sudan's referendum next year could be catastrophic, the African Union's top diplomat has warned. Many African leaders fear the secession of South Sudan may set a precedent for other groups within Sudan and other African countries.

African Union row over Muammar Gaddafi's role

01.28.2010

A diplomatic row has broken out at the African Union over attempts to extend Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's chairmanship of the organisation.

ECOWAS mulls Guinea intervention force

12.14.2009

West African bloc Ecowas has proposed sending an "intervention force" to Guinea, whose military leader was shot and wounded earlier this month.

Africa must transcend its farcical, nation-state system

11.05.2009

For the greatest part of it, Africa is a mishmash of states without nations and nations without states. Paradoxically, while colonialism is still being blamed for many of Africa’s problems, the farcical national boundaries imposed during the scramble for Africa by colonial powers in Berlin in 1885 remain sacrosanct.

Malawi president to take over as AU chairman

11.03.2009

Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika is likely to take over African Union chairmanship from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi next January, African Union sources have said.