Facilitating market development across the African Union

The African Union (AU) is a continental body comprising 55 member states from across Africa. Officially launched in 2002 as the successor to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the AU is dedicated to fostering unity, cooperation, and development among African nations. In May 1963, 32 African Heads of State met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to establish the OAU, Africa’s first post-independence continental institution. The OAU aimed to promote unity, eradicate colonialism, and advance socio-economic development. In September 1999, the OAU's leaders issued the Sirte Declaration, calling for the creation of the AU to accelerate integration and enhance Africa's role in the global economy. The AU's vision is "An Integrated, Prosperous and Peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena." Its goals include promoting peace, security, democratic governance, human rights, sustainable development, and economic integration. The AU works through various organs and engages with international partners to address challenges and foster progress across the continent. Key initiatives like Agenda 2063 outline strategic frameworks for Africa's long-term socio-economic transformation.