President Ruto Pushes for Inclusive Summit to Advance AU Institutional Reforms
This journey toward a stronger AU is possible and necessary, and we can achieve these aspirations through collaboration and turn them into concrete progress.
The Pan-African Parliament will see serious revamping to reinforce its legislative role and make it representative of the aspirations of African citizens. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Once more, the imperious need for AU reform has come into sharp focus, with leaders underlining that strengthening of the institution is imperative if it is to champion effectively the priorities of the continent. An AU that is not substantially transformed will become increasingly irrelevant, weakening Africa’s collective voice and forfeiting key opportunities for growth, stability, and global influence.
I was privileged during the African Union Institutional Reform Ad Hoc Committee Meeting of Heads of State in Luanda, Angola, to lead deliberations focused on accelerating long-overdue reforms. The discussions highlighted that for the AU to respond adequately to the fast-changing political, economic, and security landscape, bold and targeted restructuring is essential.
The reform report presented at the meeting outlines eight key areas needing immediate attention. Included is the revitalization of the AU’s peace and security architecture, an increasingly important pillar given the rise in internal conflicts, extremism, and geopolitical tensions affecting several regions of the continent. Strengthening this framework would mean not just improved crisis response but also better early warning systems and preventive diplomacy.
Another issue that featured prominently was the financing of the Union. Over the years, the AU has struggled with heavy dependence on external funding, limiting the autonomy of many of its programs. Reforms seek to establish sustainable financial mechanisms allowing African nations to fully own the operations and long-term agenda of the organization.
Another key area involves operationalizing the African Court of Justice, which is a fundamental body supposed to ensure justice, accountability, and the rule of law within its member states. Its complete functionality would ensure a major stride toward strengthening continental jurisprudence.
The report further calls for an agenda format that is clearer and more streamlined with a view to eliminating duplication, achieving effectiveness, and ensuring that the institution remains focused on the most pressing challenges and opportunities.
Furthermore, the Pan-African Parliament will see serious revamping to reinforce its legislative role and make it representative of the aspirations of African citizens. The categorization of AU decisions, rational division of labor between the AU and regional economic communities and member states, and restructuring of the remaining organs, institutions, and offices complete the priorities for reform.
All these proposed changes are within the realms of possibility. What is now required is collective will and unity of purpose. In a bid to ensure inclusiveness and wider inputs, a summit of Heads of State will soon be convened with a view to enriching this reform blueprint and helping in building an African Union that is more effective, responsive, and fit for the future. This journey toward a stronger AU is possible and necessary, and we can achieve these aspirations through collaboration and turn them into concrete progress.
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