African Union

The African Union is a continental multilateral body of 55 African member states headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Established in 2002, it succeeded the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and spearheads Africa's integration, cooperation and sustainable economic development. Its work spans multilateral governance, peace and security, conflict resolution, and democracy and human rights, alongside trade and industry, health and nutrition, agriculture, education and technology, and energy and infrastructure.

The Union's strategic framework, Agenda 2063, is a master plan intended to transform Africa into a global powerhouse delivering inclusive and sustainable development. The African Union Commission (AUC) serves as the AU's secretariat, carrying out the day-to-day activities of the Union across key programme areas. Continental policies and development programmes are coordinated to help Africa benefit from its demographic dividend, representing over 400 million young Africans.

The organisation operates on principles of Pan-Africanism and African Renaissance, with an emphasis on citizen inclusion, unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity, and on cooperation and integration among African states. Additional programme areas include youth development and gender equality.