President William Ruto has called for a united front in reforming the African Union to make it efficient and responsive in serving Member States and the people of Africa effectively.
The President said reforms of the African Union are key to unlocking the continent’s full potential.
He pointed out that a reformed African Union would serve as a bridge to prosperity for all African people.
“To this end, we must speak in one voice, act in unity and remain steadfast in our vision,” he said.
He made the remarks during a press briefing following the conclusion of a high-level retreat of the Extended Bureau of the African Union Institutional Reforms he chaired at State House, Nairobi.
Presidents who attended the meeting were John Mahama (Ghana), Azali Assoumani (Comoros), Taye Atske Selassie (Ethiopia) and Umaro Sissoco Embaló (Guinea-Bissau). Also present was African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.
They deliberated extensively on areas of reforms of the African Union, focusing on peace and stability, funding, the reform of the Pan-African Parliament and the African Court of Justice.
“A fit-for-purpose African Union is a necessary imperative at this point in time if the Union has to play the role of speaking for 1.4 billion Africans,” President Ruto said.
The President announced that they had agreed on the need to establish a committee of five Presidents to complement efforts by the African Union’s Champion for Institutional Reform.
President Ruto was given the mandate to champion reforms of the African Union by fellows Heads of State last year.
The committee, he said, will help to drive the implementation of agreed reforms of various agencies, institutions and organisations.
“This will broaden the ownership of the reform process, enhance the momentum and provide strategic leadership for the implementation process,” he said.
President Ruto said reform of the African peace and security architecture was necessary to ensure lasting peace and stability.
He noted that peace and stability are key to continental sustainable development, noting that investors will shy away from conflict-prone areas.
The President said it was unfortunate that Africa has “become a theatre of conflict and terrorism”, while the continent’s response has been inadequate.
“Our response has been uncoordinated, under-resourced and not very well planned,” he said.
The retreat recommended the establishment of a panel of experts to propose ways for strengthening Africa’s conflict response and financing mechanism.
President Ruto also said the leaders have proposed the financing of the African Union with the aim of making it more financially autonomous.
He said they had also recommended the operationalisation of the African Court of Justice and the appointment of judges.
He said this will ensure that the continent has a mechanism for conflict resolution in Africa, especially on disputes.
President Ruto said the leaders also discussed the Pan-African Parliament and deliberated on how to make it more accountable and effective to serve the greater interests of the continent.
He said the East African Community will convene an Extra-Ordinary Summit of Heads of State on the situation in Eastern DRC Congo on Wednesday.
President Selassie called for regular and comprehensive dialogue on issues affecting the continent, emphasising the importance of fostering strong political will to achieve the continent’s transformation agenda.
He also advocated the formation of an AU Peace Support Directorate similar to that of the United Nations.
“We have to put in place a structure that reflects the UN Security Council, particularly the peace support operation,” he said.
President Mahama said the AU requires bold and transformative reforms to address emerging challenges effectively.
He said the AU must evolve to become more efficient and impactful by streamlining its decision-making processes to ensure they are timely and results-oriented.
He added that overlapping mandates hinder effective decision-making, noting that bureaucratic inefficiencies undermine the confidence of citizens and international partners.
“Efficiency must be the guiding principle in how we conduct our affairs, ensuring that our policies and programmes translate into real change for our people,” he said.
President Embalo pointed out that reforms of the African Union are essential for the common good of the continent to drive it to an era of peace and global influence.
“We face many challenges, but the opportunities available on our continent are immense,” he said.
Eric Biegon
