African Union Handbook African THE YEAR OF REFUGEES, RETURNEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa The logo for the 2019 Theme of the Year has been built around the crisis facing refugees in Africa. New Zealand is proud to once again partner with the African Union “Whereas migration is a common Commission to produce the latest version of the African Union Handbook. phenomenon as people have always relocated for various reasons, in the With new and updated information about the Union, its organs and related case of Africa, the continent is painted as a miserable place bodies, the Handbook serves as a factual and concise reference guide to all because migration is as a result of aspects of the African Union and its Commission, and remains an invaluable civil strife, poverty and a myriad of tool for anyone working with, and within, the AU system. other factors, thereby promoting the narrative that Africa cannot care for Through its ambitious integration agenda, African Union members have its people. Africa knows how to take care of its own in each regard no committed themselves to aspire to a world where international connections matter what, and many African between peoples and nations are the most powerful tools for creating countries continue to welcome and prosperous societies based on inclusive growth and sustainable development. host refugees while working to resolve the issues that caused them At a time when the need for collective global action and multilateralism has to flee their homes. never been clearer, New Zealand expresses its profound respect to the African For the 2019 Theme, an identity has Union for its commitments made under Agenda 2063 towards achieving an been developed of a mother with integrated, inclusive and united Africa. her child embracing Africa, which encompasses the love and affection New Zealand welcomes the opportunity to offer you our friendship and that Africans continue to show to their brothers and sisters, embracing support, as we work together as strong and active members of the them into their communities until international community. one day they have a place to call home again.” Rt. Hon. Winston Peters NEW ZEALAND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS Leslie Richer, Director, AUC Information and Communication Directorate #NEVERMYCHOICE African Union Headquarters PO Box 3243, Roosevelt Street 2019 (Old Airport Area) W21K19, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia T: +251 [0] 115 517 700 2019 www.au.int A GUIDE FOR THOSE WORKING WITH AND WITHIN THE AFRICAN UNION AFRICAN UNION HANDBOOK 2019 First published in 2014 and reprinted annually as a revised edition Sixth edition © African Union Commission and New Zealand Crown Copyright Reserved 2019 ISSN: 2350-3319 (Print) ISSN: 2350-3335 (Online) ISBN: 978-92-95104-62-4 (Print) ISBN: 978-92-95104-64-8 (Online) Jointly published by the African Union Commission and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/Manatū Aorere African Union Commission PO Box 3243 Roosevelt Street (Old Airport Area), W21K19, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Website: www.au.int Email: [email protected] Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade/Manatū Aorere Private Bag 18–901, Wellington, New Zealand Website: www.mfat.govt.nz Email: [email protected] A PDF version of this book is available on the AU website www.au.int and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade website www.mfat.govt.nz. The African Union Commission and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade shall not be under any liability to any person or organisation in respect of any loss or damage (including consequential loss or damage), however caused, which may be incurred or which arises directly or indirectly from reliance on information in this publication. Photo on page 8 © AUC 2018, all rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all in any form is prohibited. You may not, except with AUC’s express written permission, copy, reproduce, distribute or exploit the content. Nor may you transmit it or store it in any other website or other form of electronic retrieval system. Directorate of Information and Communication, African Union Commission Photography. Cover image: by the African Union Commission. CONTENTS 3 MEMBER STATES .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5 FOREWORDS .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 By the Chairperson of the African Union .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 7 By the Chairperson of the African Union Commission .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8 By the New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .9 AFRICAN UNION STRUCTURE .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 10 AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION STRUCTURE. 11 WHAT THIS BOOK DOES . 12 INTRODUCTION .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13 ASSEMBLY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 26 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. 36 PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE. 44 SPECIALISED TECHNICAL COMMITTEES . 60 PEACE AND SECURITY COUNCIL .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 70 African Peace and Security Architecture .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 75 AFRICAN UNION COMMISSION .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 90 Chairperson. 91 Deputy Chairperson .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 91 Commissioners .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 92 AUC Organisational Structure. 93 New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 105 Permanent Representational and Specialised Offices .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 107 Special Representative and Liaison Offices .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 108 High Representatives, Special Envoys and Special Representatives of the Chairperson of the AU Commission .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 110 Other Bodies.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .112 PAN-AFRICAN PARLIAMENT .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .114 ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL COUNCIL .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .120 JUDICIAL, HUMAN RIGHTS AND LEGAL ORGANS AND BODIES .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .124 African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 124 African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 126 African Court of Justice/African Court