RS21332 -- The African Union
Updated April 30, 2003

	Origins

The African Union (AU) has its roots in the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the African Economic Community (AEC)Treaty of 1991. This factor, along with increasing calls for a basic restructuring of the purposes, priorities, and organizationof the OAU,ultimately led to its replacement by the AU. H.Res. 155 , introduced by Representative Meeks on March 2003, urges that the United States commend the AU'screation and support its diverse economic and political goals. (4) 
Mandated that, as provided by the AU Constitutive Act, OAU assets, liabilities, and agreements withotherparties would devolve to the AU. In July 2002 in Durban, South Africa, the final meetings of the OAU were held. Structure and Functioning of the African Union

Organization. President ThaboMbeki was namedas the first chairperson of the AU during its inaugural year, and the first AU summit was held in Durban, SouthAfrica.
In July 2002, the Organization of African Unity (OAU), founded in 1963 during thedecolonization era, was superseded by the African Union (AU). An AU Interim Commission, created to transfer theinstitutional andreal assets and liabilities of the OAU to the AU, and establish the AU's organizational structure, is the focal pointof AU activitiesduring its inaugural year. The AU's policy agenda overlaps substantially with that of the OAU, but more stronglyemphasizes a needfor greater economic growth and for governance reforms. The AU is likely to confront many of the same policy andfiscal challengesfaced by the OAU (see CRS Report RS20945(pdf), The Organization of African Unity). H.Res. 155,introduced in March2003, urges U.S. support of the AU and its diverse economic and political goals. This report will be updated asevents warrant.