Organisation of African Unity

The Organisation of African Unity (OAU) (French: Organisation de l'Unité Africaine (OUA)) was established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, under the signatory of 32 governments ^[1]. It was disbanded on 9 July 2002 by its last chairperson, South African President Thabo Mbeki, and replaced by the African Union (AU).

1 Aims
2 List of Chairpersons
3 List of Secretaries-general
4 OAU Summits
5 OAU members by date of admission (53 states)
6 See also
7 References
8 Further reading

Aims

The OAU had the following primary aims:

To promote the unity and solidarity of the African states and act as a collective voice for the African continent. This was important to secure Africa's long-term economic and political future. Years of colonialism had weakened it socially, politically and economically. ^[2]
To co-ordinate and intensify the co-operation of African states in order to achieve a better life for the people of Africa.^[3]
To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of African states.
The OAU was also dedicated to the eradication of all forms of colonialism, as, when it was established, there were several states that had not yet won their independence or were minority-ruled. South Africa and Angola were two such countries. The OAU proposed two ways of ridding the continent of colonialism. Firstly, it would defend the interests of independent countries and help to pursue those of still-colonised ones. Secondly, it would remain neutral in terms of world affairs, preventing its members from being controlled once more by outside powers.

A Liberation Committee was established to aid independence movements and look after the interests of already-liberated states. The OAU also aimed to stay neutral in terms of global politics, which would prevent them from being controlled once more by outside forces – an especial danger with the Cold War.

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The OAU had other aims, too:

Ensure that all Africans enjoyed human rights.
Raise the living standards of all Africans.
Settle arguments and disputes between members – not through fighting but rather peaceful and diplomatic negotiation.

Soon after achieving independence, a number of African states expressed a growing desire for more unity within the continent. Not everyone was agreed on how this unity could be achieved, however, and two opinionated groups emerged in this respect:

The Casablanca bloc, led by Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, wanted a federation of all African countries. Aside from Ghana, it comprised also Algeria, Guinea, Morocco, Egypt, Mali and Libya. Founded in 1961, its members were described as "progressive states".
The Monrovian bloc, led by Senghor of Senegal, felt that unity should be achieved gradually, through economic cooperation. It did not support the notion of a political federation. Its other members were Nigeria, Liberia, Ethiopia and most of the former French colonies.

Some of the initial discussions took place at Sanniquellie, Liberia. The dispute was eventually resolved when Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I invited the two groups to Addis Ababa, where the OAU and its headquarters were subsequently established. The Charter of the Organisation was signed by 32 independent African states.

At the time of the OAU's disbanding, 53 out of the 54 African states were members; Morocco left on 12 November 1984 following the admission of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as the government of Western Sahara in 1982.

The organisation was widely derided as a bureaucratic "talking shop" with little power. It struggled to enforce its decisions, and its lack of armed force made intervention exceedingly difficult. Civil wars in Nigeria and Angola continued unabated for years, and the OAU could do nothing to stop them.

The policy of non-interference in the affairs of member states also limited the effectiveness of the OAU. Thus, when human rights were violated, as in Uganda under Idi Amin in the 1970s, the OAU was powerless to stop them.

The Organisation was praised by Ghanaian former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan for bringing Africans together. Nevertheless, in its 39 years of existence, critics argue that the OAU did little to protect the rights and liberties of African citizens from their own political leaders, often dubbing it as a "Dictators' Club"^[4] or "Dictator's Trade Union".^[5]

The OAU was, however, successful in some respects. Many of its members were members of the UN, too, and they stood together within the latter organisation to safeguard African interests – especially in respect of lingering colonialism. Its pursuit of African unity, therefore, was in some ways successful.

Total unity was difficult to achieve, however, as the OAU was largely divided. The former French colonies, still dependent on France, had formed the Monrovia Group, and there was a further split between those that supported the USA and those that supported the USSR in the Cold War of ideologies. The pro-Socialist faction was led by Kwame Nkrumah, while Félix Houphouët-Boigny of the Ivory Coast led the pro-capitalists. Because of these divisions, it was difficult for the OAU to take action against states involved in internal conflicts because it could rarely reach an agreement on what was to be done.

The OAU did, however, play a pivotal role in eradicating colonialism and minority rule in Africa. It gave weapons, training and military bases to colonised nations fighting for independence or majority rule. Groups such as the ANC and PAC, fighting apartheid, and ZANU and ZAPU, fighting for the independence of Southern Rhodesia, were aided in their endeavours by the OAU. African harbours were closed to the South African government, and South African aircraft were prohibited from flying over the rest of the continent. The UN was convinced by the OAU to expel South Africa from bodies such as the World Health Organisation.

The OAU also worked with the UN to ease refugee problems. It set up the African Development Bank for economic projects intended to make Africa financially stronger. Although all African countries eventually won their independence, it remained difficult for them to become totally independent of their former colonisers. There was often continued reliance on the former colonial powers for economic aid, which often came with strings attached: loans had to be paid back at high interest-rates, and goods had to be sold to the aiders at low rates.

The USA and USSR intervened in post-colonial Africa in pursuit of their own objectives. Help was sometimes provided in the form of technology and aid-workers. While useful, such external assistance was often perceived as not necessarily in the best interests of the former colonies.

Autonomous specialised agencies, working under the auspices of the OAU, were:

Pan-African Telecommunications Union (PATU)
Pan-African Postal Union (PAPU)
Pan-African News Agency (PANA)
Union of African National Television and Radio Organisations (URTNA)
Union of African Railways (UAR)
Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU)
Supreme Council for Sports in Africa
African Civil Aviation Commission

List of Chairpersons

Chairpersons of the Organisation of African Unity
Name	Beginning of Term	End of Term	Country
Haile Selassie I	25 May 1963	17 July 1964	Ethiopia
Gamal Abdel Nasser	17 July 1964	21 October 1965	Egypt
Kwame Nkrumah	21 October 1965	24 February 1966	Ghana
Joseph Arthur Ankrah	24 February 1966	5 November 1966	Ghana
Haile Selassie I	5 November 1966	11 September 1967	Ethiopia
Joseph-Désiré Mobutu	11 September 1967	13 September 1968	Congo (Kinshasa)
Houari Boumedienne	13 September 1968	6 September 1969	Algeria
Ahmadou Ahidjo	6 September 1969	1 September 1970	Cameroon
Kenneth Kaunda	1 September 1970	21 June 1971	Zambia
Moktar Ould Daddah	21 June 1971	12 June 1972	Mauritania
Hassan II	12 June 1972	27 May 1973	Morocco
Yakubu Gowon	27 May 1973	12 June 1974	Nigeria
Siad Barre	12 June 1974	28 July 1975	Somalia
Idi Amin	28 July 1975	2 July 1976	Uganda
Seewoosagur Ramgoolam	2 July 1976	2 July 1977	Mauritius
Omar Bongo	2 July 1977	18 July 1978	Gabon
Gaafar Nimeiry	18 July 1978	12 July 1979	Sudan
William R. Tolbert, Jr.	12 July 1979	12 April 1980	Liberia
Léopold Sédar Senghor (acting)	28 April 1980	1 July 1980	Senegal
Siaka Stevens	1 July 1980	24 June 1981	Sierra Leone
Daniel arap Moi	24 June 1981	6 June 1983	Kenya
Mengistu Haile Mariam	6 June 1983	12 November 1984	Ethiopia
Julius Nyerere	12 November 1984	18 July 1985	Tanzania
Abdou Diouf	18 July 1985	28 July 1986	Senegal
Denis Sassou-Nguesso	28 July 1986	27 July 1987	Congo (Brazzaville)
Kenneth Kaunda	27 July 1987	25 May 1988	Zambia
Moussa Traoré	25 May 1988	24 July 1989	Mali
Hosni Mubarak	24 July 1989	9 July 1990	Egypt
Yoweri Museveni	9 July 1990	3 June 1991	Uganda
Ibrahim Babangida	3 June 1991	29 June 1992	Nigeria
Abdou Diouf	29 June 1992	28 June 1993	Senegal
Hosni Mubarak	28 June 1993	13 June 1994	Egypt
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali	13 June 1994	26 June 1995	Tunisia
Meles Zenawi	26 June 1995	8 July 1996	Ethiopia
Paul Biya	8 July 1996	2 June 1997	Cameroon
Robert Mugabe	2 June 1997	8 June 1998	Zimbabwe
Blaise Compaoré	8 June 1998	12 July 1999	Burkina Faso
Abdelaziz Bouteflika	12 July 1999	10 July 2000	Algeria
Gnassingbé Eyadéma	10 July 2000	9 July 2001	Togo
Frederick Chiluba	9 July 2001	2 January 2002	Zambia
Levy Mwanawasa	2 January 2002	9 July 2002	Zambia

List of Secretaries-general

Secretaries-general of the OAU^[6]
Name	Beginning of Term	End of Term	Country
Kifle Wodajo (acting)	25 May 1963	21 July 1964	Ethiopia
Diallo Telli	21 July 1964	15 June 1972	Guinea
Nzo Ekangaki	15 June 1972	16 June 1974	Cameroon
William Eteki	16 June 1974	21 July 1978	Cameroon
Edem Kodjo	21 July 1978	12 June 1983	Togo
Peter Onu	12 June 1983	20 July 1985	Nigeria
Ide Oumarou	20 July 1985	19 September 1989	Niger
Salim Ahmed Salim	19 September 1989	17 September 2001	Tanzania
Amara Essy	17 September 2001	9 July 2002	Côte d'Ivoire

OAU Summits

International opposition to apartheid in South Africa

Campaigns
Academic boycott · Sporting boycott Disinvestment ·Constructive engagement
Instruments and legislation
UN Resolution 1761 (1962) Crime of Apartheid Convention (1973) Gleneagles Agreement (1977) Sullivan Principles (1977) Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act (1986)
Organisations
Anti-Apartheid Movement UN Special Committee against Apartheid Artists United Against Apartheid Halt All Racist Tours Organisation of African Unity
Conferences
1964 Conference for Economic Sanctions 1978 World Conference against Racism
UN Security Council Resolutions
Resolution 181 · Resolution 191 Resolution 282 · Resolution 418 Resolution 435 · Resolution 591
Other aspects
Elimination of Racism Day Biko (song) · Activists Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute Equity television programming ban

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It includes ordinary and extraordinary summits.

Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 22–25 May 1961.
Cairo (Egypt) : 17–21 July 1964.
Accra (Ghana) : 21–26 October 1965.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 5–9 November 1966.
Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire) : 11–14 September 1967.
Algiers (Algeria) : 13–16 September 1968.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 6–10 September 1969.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 1–3 September 1970.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 21–23 June 1971.
Rabat (Morocco) : 12–15 June 1972.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 27–28 May 1973.
Kampala (Uganda) : 28 July – 1 August 1975.
Port Louis (Mauritius) : 2–6 July 1976.
Libreville (Gabon) : 2–5 July 1977.
Khartoum (Sudan) : 18–22 July 1978.
Monrovia (Liberia) : 17–20 July 1979.
Freetown (Sierra Leone) : 1–4 July 1980.
Nairobi (Kenya) : 24–27 June. 1981.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 6–12 June 1983.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 12–15 November 1984.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 18–20 July 1985.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 28–30 July 1986.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 27–29 July. 1987.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Extraordinary Summit : Oct. 1987.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 25–28 May 1988.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 24–26 July 1989.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 9–11 July 1990.
Abuja (Nigeria) : 3–5 July 1991.
Dakar (Senegal) : 29 June – 1 July 1992.
Cairo (Egypt) : 28–30 June 1993.
Tunis (Tunisia) : 13–15 June 1994.
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) : 26–28 June 1995.
Yaoundé (Cameroon) : 8–10 June 1996.
Harare (Zimbabwe) : 2–4 June 1997.
Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) : 8–10 June 1998.
Algiers (Algeria) : 12–14 July 1999.
Sirte (Libya), Extraordinary Summit : 6–9 September 1999.
Lomé (Togo) : 10–12 July 2000.
Lusaka (Zambia) : 9–11 July 2001, the last OAU summit.

OAU members by date of admission (53 states)

25 May 1963 :

Algeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Léopoldville).^[7] Dahomey,^[8] Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast,^[9] Liberia, Libya, Madagascar,^[10] Mali, Mauritania,^[11] Morocco,^[12] Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, The Sudan, Tanganyika,^[13] Togo,^[14] Tunisia, Uganda, Upper Volta,^[15] Zanzibar^[13]

13 December 1963:

Kenya

13 July 1964:

Malawi

16 December 1964:

Zambia

Oct 1965 :

The Gambia

31 October 1966:

Botswana, Lesotho

Aug 1968 :

Mauritius

24 September 1968:

Swaziland

12 October 1968:

Equatorial Guinea

19 November 1973:

Guinea-Bissau

11 February 1975:

Angola

18 July 1975:

Cape Verde, Comoros, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe

29 June 1976:

Seychelles

27 June 1977:

Djibouti

June 1980:

Zimbabwe

22 February 1982:

Saharan Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara)

June 1990:

Namibia

24 May 1993:

Eritrea

6 June 1994:

South Africa

References

^ http://www.dfa.gov.za/foreign/Multilateral/africa/oau.htm
^ http://actrav.itcilo.org/actrav-english/telearn/global/ilo/law/oau.htm
^ http://www.dfa.gov.za/foreign/Multilateral/africa/oau.htm
^ News.bbc.co.uk
^ Somalilandtimes.net
^ African Union official site: Former Secretaries General of the OAU
^ 1966-71 and from 1997 Congo (Kinshasa); 1971-97 Zaire.
^ From 1975 Benin.
^ From 1985 Côte d'Ivoire.
^ Suspended December 2001 - 10 July 2003.
^ Suspended 4 August 2005.
^ Withdrew 12 November 1984.
^ ^a ^b Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged 26 April 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which was renamed Tanzania 1 November 1964.
^ Suspended from 25 February 2005.
^ From 1984 Burkina Faso.