Aaron maasho, african leaders cautiously back strategy to quit global court, reuters africa feb. The purpose of the workshop was to identify the challenges that confront african union au member states with respect to the rule of law and to propose strategic actions that could be used to overcome the identified. The au reportedly supports a strategy of regionalization of international law, under which there would be a special african war crimes court. Different levels of capability in areas such as technology and technologyrelated law and governance. The african union and the international criminal court. Platform on security and the rule of law kpsrl, in partnership with the representation of the netherlands to the african union au in addis ababa organised an interactive meeting on the 28th of september 2016 titled, why do we need the african union.
African union on behalf of african union heads of state and government, welcome to the 2018 edition of the african union handbook. Continental peace and security governance 157 india quarterly, 66, 2 2010. Welcome to the 2017 edition of the african union handbook. Article 3 objectives the objectives of the union shall be to. Union means the african union established by the present constitutive act. On 16 july, the african union elected south african home affairs minister nkosazana dlaminizuma as the new au commission president. Identify the sources of african union law by giving appropriate examples. Takes note and underscores the importance of the statute of the african union commission on.
It looks at various doctrinal and practical issues pertaining to either. Similar to european union law, au law regulates the behavior of countries party to the regional body. The meeting brought together more than 60 participants including african experts working for. The battle for the soul of international law dire tladi int roduct ion on 3 july 2009, the african union au assembly of heads of state and government summit adopted a decision on the international criminal courts icc indictment of the president of sudan decision, omar hassan. As an authoritative text on the development of au law, the book covers such pertinent issues as legislative powers, competences, direct effect in. The handbook, now in its fourth edition, is produced in partnership with the african union commission. African union member states limited ability to influence the behaviour of external service providers. Pdf the role of the african union in continental peace. African union law is the body of law comprising treaties, resolutions and decisions that have direct and indirect application to the member states of the african union au. The au was announced in the sirte declaration in sirte, libya, on 9 september 1999, calling for the establishment of the african union. African union backs mass withdrawal from icc, supra.
The african union au is a continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of africa. This book explores the emergence of african union au law as a legal order and its implications for existing order in the region. The au constitutive act solemnises the declaration by africa s leaders to uphold the ideals of the founding fathers of the oau and au and generations of panafricanists on the continent and the diaspora to promote unity, solidarity, cohesion and cooperation among the peoples of africa and african states. Given the prominent role european union law plays in the functioning of the european union, the question is posed whether there is similar scope for the development of african union law, a term not established hitherto. This prompted the african union to establish a regional cybersecurity treaty, known as the african union convention on cyber security and personal data protection, in june, 2014. Broadly speaking, the rule of law requires that everyone, including governmental bodies and officials, as well as citizens, is bound by and treated equally under the. The african union, constitutionalism and powersharing.
Model law on biosafety in technology 2000,1 and the african union model law on the rights of local communities, farmers. The charter that created the oau was the result of several multinational african conferences held in the 1950s and 1960s aimed at supporting africans. African union model law for medical products regulation. The bloc was founded on 26 may 2001 in addis ababa, ethiopia, and launched on 9 july 2002 in durban, south africa.
Since then, the new institution has struggled to reform governing bodies inherited from the oau while shouldering. This paper explores some of the founding principles of the african union au and the frameworks devised to implement them. Modelled on the longstanding united nations handbook, this handbook o. The connection between aspirationpillar 3 and sdg16 is a clear example of these two agendas sharing a similar objective. Read statutes of the commission of the african union assau2i d, african journal of international and comparative law on deepdyve, the largest online rental service for scholarly research with thousands of academic publications available at your fingertips. African union handbook, which is an invaluable resource for those who work both with and within the african union. African union election observation mission to the 9th february 2020 legislative and municipal elections. African union legal instrument p a g e 3 member states of the african union, taking into account their existing commitments at subregional, regional and international levels. The workshop on challenges to the rule of law in africa took place on 12 april 2016 in pretoria, south africa. The arab spring and the question of legality of democratic revolution in theory and practice.
As an authoritative text on the development of au law, the book covers such pertinent issues as legislative powers, competences, direct effect in au law, subsidiarity, i. Broadly speaking, the rule of law requires that everyone, including governmental bodies and officials, as well as citizens, is bound by and treated equally under the law. Introduction to the norms and institutions of the african union. The paper therefore takes as its basic premise the following. A perspective based on the african union normative framework. Its predecessor was the organization for african unity oauestablished in 1963. Universal jurisdiction over international crimes this model national law has been prepared pursuant to. This article traces how the development of regional law is linked to the state of regional integration in africa. Au relations congressional research service 3 successor to the nowdefunct organization of african unity oau. Abbreviations african union member state names unless otherwise noted, the full names on the left are as listed in the african union au constitutive act of 2000, plus the republic of south sudan. The competitions objectives are to create awareness about the emergence of african. In a typical african country, the great majority of the people conduct their personal activities in accordance with and subject to customary law. The african union by makaria green the african union au was established on july 8, 2001. African union the scope and application of the principle of.
African leaders made a powerful commitment when they adopted agenda 2063 at the 24th african union assembly held in january 2015, addis ababa, ethiopia. Risks arising from high dependency on nonafrican manufacturers and service providers. Africas challenges and the role of the african union. The african union, the international criminal court, and. On behalf of the african union heads of state and government, it is my pleasure to introduce the 2019 edition of the. The 33rd ordinary session of the assembly of heads of state and government of the african union opened today at the au headquarters in addis ababa, ethiopia. This development is significant because it will impact. The rule of law and constitution building are two concepts at the heart of sustainable democracy. In this policy, africa, the african continent, the continent or continental means the territory of the continent of africa, islands states members of the african union and all islands considered by the african union in its resolutions to be part of africa.
African union the scope and application of the principle. The role of african union law in integrating africa. The year 2017 is one in which we saw our member states focus on what unites us, how africa. Au relations congressional research service summary u. The african commission on human and peoples rights, in existence since 1986, is established under the african charter on human and peoples rights the african charter rather than the constitutive act of the african union.
Considering that this convention seeks, in terms of substantive criminal law, to modernize instruments for the repression of cybercrime by formulating a policy for the. Increasing access to and delivery of new health technologies for patients in need, undp, new york, 2017. Abbreviations african union member state names unless otherwise noted, the full names on the left are as listed in the african union au constitutive. The african union au replaced the organization of african unity oau. Moreover, the recent impact of foreign power interests on the continent adds another dimension and complexity to the role of the au in african pkos. They laid down a vision and action plan for the social and economic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years the africa we want. Statute of the african union commission on international.
Mar 01, 2005 read statutes of the commission of the african union assau2i d, african journal of international and comparative law on deepdyve, the largest online rental service for scholarly research with thousands of academic publications available at your fingertips. African union intergovernmental organization, africa. Calls upon member states to consider increasing the budget of the african union commission on international law to enable it to conduct its research studies and discharge its mandate more effectively. The constitutive act of the african union 267 the constitutive act of the african union, african courts and the protection of human rights. First african union model law on medical products regulation. On 21 january the 16 th summit of the african union heads of state and government opened in addis ababa, ethiopia under the theme towards greater unity and integration through shared values. Analyze the various african union instruments by taking relevant cases. The constitutive act of the african union, african courts. African customary law, customs, and womens rights muna ndulo abstract the sources of law in most african countries are customary law, the common law and legislation both colonial and postindependence.
The eastern africa region encompasses both developing and fragile states, a combination that provides fertile ground for criminal networks to exploit these differing contexts. He is the author of a study of the african unions right of intervention against genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes forthcoming 2011. Au careers is african union commision main vacancy application portal, in order to be able to apply for a position all potential applicants will need to create a php database record where they will enter among others your personal information, current and previous education and employment details. Isanga associate professor of law, ave maria school of law. A gap analysis report on the african model law on the protection of the rights of local communities, farmers and breeders, and for the regulation of access to biological resources commissioned by the department of human resources, science and technology of the african union commission february 2012. The access and delivery partnership, african union model law for medical products regulation. The african union succeeded the old organization for african unity oau in 2002. In adopting the model law on access to information for africa, the african commission has therefore gone a step further. Increasing access to and delivery of new health technologies for patients in need summary the regulation of health technologies is a critical component of any wellfunctioning health system, as it enables access to health technologies of assured. Concepts and implementation mechanisms relating to human rights bience gawanas introduction this paper focuses on the evolution of human rights within the african union au, starting from the founding of the organisation of african unity oau in 1963. This research initiative explores the emergence of african union law as a legal order and its implications for existing legal order in the region. At its 30th summit in january 2018, the african union au decided to approach the united nations general assembly unga to seek an advisory opinion from the international court of justice icj. Article 2 establishment the african union is hereby established in accordance with the provisions of this act.
1003 1161 694 877 463 226 797 216 1670 797 797 928 1379 1395 955 1606 364 932 87 734 1475 1457 1402 443 1147 438 302 256 250 372 870 471 728 530 1235 743 1143 1309 1371