Why in the News?
The African Union (AU) held its annual summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, amid rising conflicts, military coups, and governance crises across Africa, raising concerns about its effectiveness and enforcement capacity.
About the African Union
- Established in 2002, replacing the Organization of African Unity
- Headquarters: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Members: 55 African countries
- Objective: Promote unity, peace, security, democracy, and economic integration in Africa
Key Institutional Features
- Peace and Security Council (PSC): Conflict prevention and peacekeeping
- African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance: Opposes unconstitutional changes of government
- Provision to suspend members after military coups
Current Challenges
- 10 military coups since 2020 across Africa. AU has struggled to enforce its rule barring coup leaders from contesting elections. Ongoing conflicts in: Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sahel region insurgencies
- Weak response to controversial elections in: Tanzania and Burundi
- Financial constraints:
- Missed self funding targets (2020, 2025)
- Around 64 percent funding from external partners such as the US and EU
Why is the AU Considered Weak?
- Member states reluctant to grant strong enforcement powers
- Dependence on external funding limits autonomy
- Political divisions among members
- Limited ability to intervene in internal conflicts
| [2023] In the recent years Chad, Guinea, Mali and Sudan caught the international attention for which one of the following reasons common to all of them?Â
(a) Discovery of rich deposits of rare earth elements (b) Establishment of Chinese military bases (c) Southward expansion of Sahara Desert (d) Successful coups |
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