The African Union: Defending peace, democracy and human rights

Background

As the EU and Africa prepared in 2017 to redefine their priorities for cooperation the fifth African Union - European Union (AU-EU) summit was scheduled to take place on the 29-30 November 2017 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).

The summit was due to focus on the need to invest in youth. The issue had become prominent against the background of demographic growth in Africa and increasing irregular migration from the continent to Europe.

In this context the European Parliamentary Research Service published in November 2017 a number of background information guides on aspects of EU-Africa relations and the work of the African Union:

+ New priorities for EU–Africa cooperation
+ The African Union: Defending peace, democracy and human rights
+ Economic integration under the African Union
+ Actions of the African Union against coups d'état
+ Empowering Africa's youth: The new focus of EU-Africa cooperation
+ ACP-EU relations and the Joint Africa-EU strategy
+ The Pan-African Parliament: getting ready for the 2017 AU-EU Summit
+ ACP-EU relations and the Joint Africa-EU strategy
+ The EU and Africa [What Think Tanks are thinking]The creation of the African Union (AU) in 2002 sparked hopes for the start of a new era in African integration. New institutional mechanisms and norms have been put in place to accomplish the AU’s ambitious objectives in the area of peace, human rights and democratic governance.

As in 2017 however, despite the promise of these objectives, they have yet to become fully effective and legitimate, as many member states still need to fulfil their commitments and sign the necessary legal instruments.

Author: Ionel Zamfir

• Primary Source

International Crisis Group: Briefing, No.135 (17.01.18): Seven Priorities for the African Union in 2018 https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/b135-seven-priorities-african-union-2018

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