The absence of an armed force like theUnited Nationspeacekeepers left the organization with no means to enforce its decisions. It was also unwilling to become involved in the internal affairs of member nations, prompting some critics to claim the OAU as ineffective in taking decisive action. Recognising this, in September 1999 the OAU issued theSirte Declaration, calling for a new body to take its place. On 9 July 2002, the OAU'sChairman,South African PresidentThabo Mbeki, formally dissolved the OAU and replaced it with theAfrican Union (AU), its immediate successor, which upholds many of the founding principles of the OAU.[4]
The inception of the OAU's establishment was theSanniquellie Pledge at theFirst West African Summit Conference held inSanniquellie,Liberia on 15–19 July 1959.[5] PresidentTubman ofLiberia hosted PresidentTouré ofGuinea, and Prime MinisterNkrumah ofGhana, and the three pledged to work together for the formation of a "Community of Independent African States".[6]
The OAU was founded in May 1963[7] inAddis Ababa,Ethiopia, by 32 African states with the main aim of bringing the African nations together and resolve the issues within the continent.[7] Its first ever conference was held on 1 May 1963[8] in Addis Ababa.[8][7] At that conference, the lateGambian historian – and one of the leadingGambian nationalists andPan-Africanists at the time – Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof delivered a speech in front of the member states, in which he said:[8]
It is barely 75 years when the European Powers sat around the table in Germany each holding a dagger to carve up Africa for its own benefit.… Your success will inspire and speed up the freedom and total independence of the African continent and eradicate imperialism and colonialism from the continent and eventually neo-colonialism from the globe… Your failure, which no true African in Africa is praying for, will prolong our struggle with bitterness and disappointment. I, therefore, adjure that you ignore any suggestion outside Africa and holding that the present civilisation, which some of the big powered are boasting of, sprang up from Africa, and realising that the entire world has something earthly to learn from Africa, you would endeavour your utmost to come to agreement, save Africa from the clutches of neo-colonialism and resurrect African dignity, manhood and national stability.
To co-ordinate and intensify the co-operation ofAfrican states in order to achieve a better life for the people of Africa.[2]
To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of African states.
The OAU was also dedicated to the eradication of all forms ofcolonialism and white minority rule as, when it was established, there were several states that had not yet won their independence or were white minority-ruled.South Africa andAngola were two such countries. The OAU proposed two ways of ridding the continent of colonialism and white minority rule. First, it would defend the interests of independent countries and help to pursue the independence those of still-colonised ones. Secondly, it would remain neutral in terms of world affairs, preventing its members from being controlled once more by outside powers.
A Liberation Committee was established to aid independence movements and look after the interests of already-independent states. The OAU also aimed to stay neutral in terms of global politics, which would prevent them from being controlled once more by outside forces – an especial danger with the Cold War.
Settle arguments and disputes between members – not through fighting but rather peaceful and diplomatic negotiation.[9]
Soon after achieving independence, a number of African states expressed a growing desire for more unity within the continent. Not everyone was agreed on how this unity could be achieved, however, and two opinionated groups emerged in this respect:
The Monrovian bloc, led bySenghor ofSenegal, felt that unity should be achieved gradually, through economic cooperation. It did not support the notion of a political federation. Its other members wereNigeria,Liberia,Ethiopia, and most of the former French colonies.
Some of the initial discussions took place atSanniquellie, Liberia. The dispute was eventually resolved whenEthiopian emperorHaile Selassie I invited the two groups toAddis Ababa, where the OAU and its headquarters were subsequently established. The Charter of the Organisation was signed by 32 independent African states.
The organisation was widely derided as a bureaucratic "talking shop" with little power. It struggled to enforce its decisions, and its lack of armed force made intervention exceedingly difficult.Civil wars in Nigeria and Angola continued unabated for years, and the OAU could do nothing to stop them.
The policy of non-interference in the affairs of member states also limited the effectiveness of the OAU. Thus, whenhuman rights were violated, as inUganda underIdi Amin in the 1970s, the OAU was powerless to stop them.
The Organisation was praised by Ghanaian formerUnited Nations Secretary-GeneralKofi Annan for bringing Africans together. Nevertheless, critics argue that, in its 39 years of existence, the OAU did little to protect the rights and liberties of African citizens from their own political leaders, often dubbing it as a "Dictators' Club"[11] or "Dictators' Trade Union".
The OAU was, however, successful in some respects. Many of its members were members of the UN, too, and they stood together within the latter organisation to safeguard African interests – especially in respect of lingering colonialism. Its pursuit of African unity, therefore, was in some ways successful.
Total unity was difficult to achieve, however, as the OAU was largely divided. The former French colonies, still dependent onFrance, had formed theMonrovia Group, and there was a further split between those that supported the United States and those that supported theUSSR in theCold War of ideologies. The pro-Socialist faction was led by Ghana'sKwame Nkrumah, whileFélix Houphouët-Boigny of theIvory Coast led the pro-capitalists. Because of these divisions, it was difficult for the OAU to take action against states involved in internal conflicts because it could rarely reach an agreement on what was to be done.
The OAU did play a pivotal role in eradicatingcolonialism and white minority rule in Africa. It gave weapons, training and military bases to rebel groups fighting white minority and colonial rule. Groups such as the ANC and PAC, fightingapartheid, andZANU andZAPU, fighting to topple the government ofRhodesia, were aided in their endeavours by the OAU. African harbours were closed to the South African government, and South African aircraft were prohibited from flying over the rest of the continent. The UN was convinced by the OAU to expel South Africa from bodies such as theWorld Health Organization.
The OAU also worked with the UN to ease refugee problems. It set up theAfrican Development Bank for economic projects intended to make Africa financially stronger. Although all African countries eventually won theirindependence, it remained difficult for them to become totally independent of their former colonisers. There was often continued reliance on the former colonial powers for economic aid, which often came with strings attached: loans had to be paid back at high interest-rates, and goods had to be sold to the aiders at low rates.
The US and Soviet Union intervened in post-colonial Africa in pursuit of their own objectives. Help was sometimes provided in the form oftechnology and aid-workers. Despite the goodwill and best intentions, the OAU consistently failed at its stated goal - that of the fight to keep "Westerners" (colonialists) out of, and only focus upon, African affairs. The Organisation still heavily depended on Western help (military and economic) to intervene in African affairs, despite African leaders' displeasure at dealing with the international community, especially Western countries.
Withdrew 12 November 1984, protesting the membership ofWestern Sahara. However, Morocco joined the African Union in January 2017, 33 years after its withdrawal.[12]
^abcJaynes, Gerald D.,Encyclopedia of African American Society, Volume 1 (contributors: Thomson Gale (Firm), Sage Publications), (2005), p. 672,ISBN978-0761927648[1]Archived 18 July 2018 at theWayback Machine
Terry M. Mays,Africa's First Peacekeeping Operation: The OAU in Chad, 1981–1982, Praeger (2002);ISBN0-275-97606-8
Chaloka Beyani, Chris Stringer,African Exodus: Refugee Crisis, Human Rights, & the 1969 OAU Convention. Lawyers Committee for Human Rights (1995);ISBN0-934143-73-0
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