33rd African Union Summit Concludes
The heads of state of 55 African countries met at the 29th African Union Summit. (Flickr)
The 33rd African Union (AU) Summit took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on February 9. The event’s theme was “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development.” The newly elected AU Chairperson, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, outlined the union’s priorities, which had a strong focus on conflict resolution and economic and political unity.
The AU is a continental body composed of all 55 African countries. Founded in 2002 as a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU, 1963-1990), the AU was created to ensure peace and stability on the continent in the hopes of fostering greater cooperation and growth among member states. These revised Pan-African aims evolved from the OAU’s original goals of defending African states’ sovereignty and eradicating all forms of colonialism.
Ramaphosa said that this AU Summit “focus[ed] on conflict resolution across the African continent, especially those experiencing protracted conflict,” and he identified the conflicts in South Sudan and Libya as priorities. On the eve of the summit, Ramaphosa met with both South Sudanese President Salva Fiir and rebel leader Riek Machar to try to jumpstart a two-way conversation about peace and future governance. South Sudan has experienced civil war since 2003, and although the two men have a deadline of February 22 to form a stable government, they have already missed two such deadlines in the past.
The AU has long sought a greater role in the peace negotiations in Libya. This latest move has been driven by Libya’s neighbors, who fear the escalating violence and involvement of terrorist groups al-Qaeda and ISIL. Moussa Faki, chairperson of the AU Commission, cautioned that “the persistence of terrorism threatens the collapse of some member states and must be eradicated.”
UN Chief Antonio Guterres was present at the two-day summit, stating that the UN’s partnership with the AU was “of paramount importance” and pledged the UN’s full support to the summit’s “landmark initiative” of tackling violence. "Ultimately, “silencing the guns” is not just about peace and security, but also inclusive sustainable development and human rights," he said. Guterres highlighted what he views as the three main challenges ahead for the AU: ending poverty and inequality, fighting the climate crisis, and enforcing peace and counter-terrorism.
Looking ahead, Ramaphosa announced that he plans to host two additional summits, one focused on conflict resolution, and the other on the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA). In addition, the AU announced that the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) would follow South Africa as AU head in 2021.