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As African countries gear up to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organization of African Unity （OAU）， the predecessor of the African Union （AU）， Beijing Review spoke with several African ambassadors to China to solicit their opinions on the AU’s role and future development. Excerpts follow：
Beijing Review： In your view， what role has the AU played in strengthening African unity over the past half century？
South African Ambassador Bheki Langa： The 50th anniversary comes at a moment when Africa is on the rise， as reflected by the fact that Africa is home to six of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world. This was achieved because of the deep economic and political reforms that have taken place on the continent， spearheaded by the transformed AU.
As the coordinating body for the continent’s political and economic programs， the OAU was instrumental in fostering cohesion， unity and common purpose in otherwise disparate countries with different but common challenges related to underdevelopment， poverty and lack of economic infrastructure.
The OAU’s transformation into the AU in 2002 has provided the needed impetus toward institutionalizing the necessary reforms to move the continent from what The Economist called the “Dark Continent” on one of its covers， to what it today recognizes as a “Rising Continent.”
The common continental objective is to define a trajectory for Africa to extricate itself from the status of development laggard. Indeed， the start of the new millennium has seen the reawakening of discourse and action on African development and renewal.
Cameroonian Ambassador Martin Mpana： The role played then by the OAU and now by the AU has been instrumental in harmonizing African policies in various fields. The AU was strengthened through various decisions and actions： total liberation of Africa from colonialism and all forms of discrimination， including apartheid； promoting unity and solidarity amongst African states； coordinating and intensifying cooperation and efforts to ensure better living conditions for the peoples of Africa； and defending the sovereignty， territorial integrity and independence of African states.
It’s worth mentioning that the OAU/ AU is the only African institution that brings together the continent’s heads of state， so they can discuss common African issues and make decisions on Africa at the top level. Therefore， the AU plays a crucial role in terms of coordination.
Beijing Review： In your view， what role has the AU played in strengthening African unity over the past half century？
South African Ambassador Bheki Langa： The 50th anniversary comes at a moment when Africa is on the rise， as reflected by the fact that Africa is home to six of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world. This was achieved because of the deep economic and political reforms that have taken place on the continent， spearheaded by the transformed AU.
As the coordinating body for the continent’s political and economic programs， the OAU was instrumental in fostering cohesion， unity and common purpose in otherwise disparate countries with different but common challenges related to underdevelopment， poverty and lack of economic infrastructure.
The OAU’s transformation into the AU in 2002 has provided the needed impetus toward institutionalizing the necessary reforms to move the continent from what The Economist called the “Dark Continent” on one of its covers， to what it today recognizes as a “Rising Continent.”
The common continental objective is to define a trajectory for Africa to extricate itself from the status of development laggard. Indeed， the start of the new millennium has seen the reawakening of discourse and action on African development and renewal.
Cameroonian Ambassador Martin Mpana： The role played then by the OAU and now by the AU has been instrumental in harmonizing African policies in various fields. The AU was strengthened through various decisions and actions： total liberation of Africa from colonialism and all forms of discrimination， including apartheid； promoting unity and solidarity amongst African states； coordinating and intensifying cooperation and efforts to ensure better living conditions for the peoples of Africa； and defending the sovereignty， territorial integrity and independence of African states.
It’s worth mentioning that the OAU/ AU is the only African institution that brings together the continent’s heads of state， so they can discuss common African issues and make decisions on Africa at the top level. Therefore， the AU plays a crucial role in terms of coordination.