RECENT DEVELOPMENTS – ACTUALITES LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEVISING A GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE FOR THE AFRICAN UNION

Abstract

After the era of independence in the 1960s, the newly independent states in Africa were not prepared for the idea of state cooperation. The reason for this was borne out of their belief that colonialism had exploitative effects on them, hence any form of state cooperation was feared to carry with it potentials of such effects. For them protectionism in economic policies was the way forward. The drawbacks of this attitude started becoming clear to these states as they were increasingly marginalized on the international front. Regional integration was, as such, thought as a possible way forward. The overarching platform for regional economic integration on the continental front was the Organisation of African Union (OAU) which was established in 1964. In the constituting Treaty, it had the aim of fostering economic development of the continent through economic cooperation among the economies of the states in Africa. It sought to achieve this through coordination and harmonisation in the field of economic and political cooperation. Other sub-regional efforts were established in Africa and existed concurrently with the OAU. Sub-regional groupings were formed among countries sharing the same geographical region on the continent and they were known as Regional Economic Communities (RECs). RECs were formed in Southern Africa, Northern Africa, Eastern and Central Africa and West Africa. Other RECs were formed along the lines of similarities in colonial heritage. These RECs had similar aims as the OAU, which was to foster economic development through sub-regional economic