The creation of the Organization of African Unity

Abstract

This chapter discusses the period immediately surrounding the independence period and the impact of events in Africa on the interpretation of pan-Africanism and the creation of an African regional organization. Independence for African states came in three broad phases, with the bulk of African states in sub-Saharan Africa gaining independence starting in the late 1950s through the early 1960s. The Franco-Algerian war and Congo crisis had profound impacts on relations amongst independent African states, leading to the creation of distinct blocs. However, after these crises were resolved the independent states of Africa met in Addis Ababa in May 1963 to form a continental body. This chapter explores the debates around the creation of the Organization of African Unity amongst African leaders who attended the 1963 conference. Ultimately, it argues that the norms chosen at the advent of the OAU to prioritize state security and protect sovereignty and territoriality were viewed as the best way to protect newly independent African states while undermining the credibility and legitimacy of the remaining white-minority and colonial regimes on the continent.