Organisation of African Unity

The Organisation of African Unity (OAU; French: Organisation de l'unité africaine, OUA) was an African intergovernmental organisation. It started on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with 33 countries agreeing to join.

The OAU wanted to help its member countries work better together, both politically and for economic integration. It also aimed to end colonialism and neo-colonialism across the African continent.

Because the OAU did not have its own armed force like the United Nations peacekeepers, it could not make its decisions happen by force. It also did not get involved in the internal matters of its member nations. Because of this, some people thought it was not very strong when it needed to act.

In September 1999, the OAU released the Sirte Declaration, asking for a new organization to take its place. On 9 July 2002, the OAU was officially ended by its chairman, South African president Thabo Mbeki. It was replaced by the African Union (AU). The AU continues many of the same ideas and goals that the OAU started.

History

See also: Union of African States and History of the African Union

The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) started with a meeting in Sanniquellie, Liberia in 1959. Leaders from Liberia, Guinea, and Ghana agreed to help African countries become independent.

The OAU was officially created in May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by 32 African countries. Its main goal was to unite African nations and solve problems on the continent. The first meeting was on May 1, 1963. At this meeting, a leader from The Gambia spoke about how Africa had been divided by other countries in the past. He asked the leaders to work together to keep Africa free and strong.

Aims

The OAU had important goals. It wanted to help people across Africa live better lives. It aimed to protect each country’s independence and borders. The OAU also worked to end colonialism and rule by a small group of people, especially in places like South Africa and Angola. It helped countries still fighting for freedom and stayed neutral in world conflicts.

The OAU also wanted to make sure everyone’s rights were respected and to improve living conditions. It tried to solve problems between countries without fighting, using talks instead. The OAU was created in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where leaders signed an agreement to work together.

Criticism and praise

The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was sometimes seen as good for talking but not for taking strong action. It did not have its own army, so it could not stop big problems, like civil wars in places such as Nigeria and Angola.

Some people praised the OAU for helping to bring African countries together. It worked against old rule by other countries and helped people who had to leave their homes, working with the United Nations. But it had problems too. Because each country wanted to make its own decisions, it was hard for the OAU to agree on what to do, especially during fights inside countries.

The OAU helped end rule by other nations and supported groups working for change. It also set up banks to help African countries grow economically. Even so, many African countries still needed help from their former rulers, which sometimes came with hard conditions.

Agencies

The Organisation of African Unity had special groups to help with its work. These groups focused on areas like communication, transportation, and sports. Some of these groups were the Pan-African Telecommunications Union, the Pan-African Postal Union, the Pan-African News Agency, the Union of African National Television and Radio Organisations, the Union of African Railways, the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity, the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa, and the African Civil Aviation Commission.

List of chairpersons

Main article: Chairperson of the Organisation of African Unity

The Organisation of African Unity had many leaders over the years. Each leader served for a short time and helped guide the group.

OAU summits

OAU members by date of admission (53 states)