UNDP helps Organization of African Unity in transition to African Union

Tuesday, 9 July 2002: Leaders from across Africa are meeting in Durban, South Africa, this week to move forward on the transition from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU), and UNDP is helping to facilitate the process.

The OAU, with 53 member states, which has served for nearly 40 years as a forum for dialogue among Africa's leaders, is transforming itself into a political and economic union, similar to the European Union. The shift is an effort to strengthen coordination and integration across the continent in support of economic advancement, democratic governance, and greater participation in the global economy.

UNDP is providing US$1 million to help the OAU develop a resource mobilization strategy and create a framework to integrate the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), an initiative to put the continent on a path to growth and development, into the work of the AU.

"For UNDP, supporting the OAU in the pivotal transition to the African Union is a natural step," said Abdoulie Janneh, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa. "The OAU has played a central role on the continent, bringing together countries with different cultures, historical backgrounds, languages and perspectives to work in an integrated manner towards common goals," he said.

"As the African Union takes its first breath, it offers great promise to take this important work to new heights and to help the continent more fully take advantage of the opportunities of the global economy," said Mr. Janneh.

"We see this as the first step to creating a privileged partnership between UNDP and the AU," noted Mr. Janneh, who serves on an eminent persons panel which provides expert advice to the OAU during this time of change. UNDP is also assisting in communications activities to increase the visibility of the OAU and AU during the transition phase, both in Africa and in the international media, he noted.

The new relationship is part of a broader UNDP plan to support Africa's efforts to enter the mainstream of world development and boost progress towards halving severe poverty by 2015 and the other Millennium Development Goals. UNDP activities in the region focus on strengthening democratic and participatory governance, making globalization work for Africa, strengthening conflict prevention and peace building, and reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS.

For further information, please contact Cassandra Waldon, UNDP Communications Office.

Source: UNDP