DIALOGUE ON THE THREE AFRICAS: NUMBER 1

By LOUISON EMERICK BISSILA MBILA | March 27, 2026

“Guided by my vision of an African Union serving the African people, I propose, with your collective support, to bring our organisation out of conference rooms, off our computer hard drives, and out of the neatly filed folders of our secretariats. I intend to take it into school playgrounds, into refugee camps, into the heart of our city markets, and the fields of our villages.”

(Excerpt from the acceptance speech by His Excellency Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, incoming Chairperson of the African Union and President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, at the 34th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, 6 February 2021).

Introduction: Is the African Union a Useless Organisation?

Regarding the relationship between the African Union (AU) and Africa, we can say that the African Union was made for Africa, and not Africa for the African Union, so that the Africans are masters of the African Union. If we agree that it is Africans who are, or must be, the true architects of the African integration that the AU seeks to promote, it is important to consider what Africans themselves think of this continental institution that is meant to serve them.

For many Africans, and not the least important among them, the African Union (AU) in its current form appears disconnected from their real concerns. They are convinced that this continental organisation serves primarily as a club for heads of state and government, ministers, diplomats, and functionaries, with minimal tangible results in terms of peace, security, development, promotion of democracy, education, and health. Consequently, many sons and daughters of the continent perceive the AU as a useless institution that does not significantly contribute to the prosperity of its member states. A few facts illustrate this scepticism among Africans.

1. Free Movement of People and Goods

Firstly, despite numerous AU summits and discussions about Panafricanism and the African Renaissance, Africans do not feel at home across their entire continent. The free movement of people and goods, a core principle of the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community (Abuja Treaty, 1991), remains unrealised in many regions.

Africans frequently report harassment by immigration authorities when attempting to travel within the continent, often facing more scrutiny than nationals from other continents. The long-anticipated African passport is not yet in circulation, hindering the free movement of Africans across the 55 AU member states. Today, it is often easier for an African citizen to travel to China, the Middle East, or Europe than to migrate to certain African countries.

The free movement of goods is another significant challenge for many African entrepreneurs. The lack of a robust transcontinental road network makes it difficult, if not impossible, to source essential agro-industrial products for various African localities. Often, in Africa, it is easier for non-African-owned companies to obtain operating licences than for those owned by Africans.

2. The Inviolability of Borders as Inherited at Independence

When the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was established in 1963, which later became the African Union in 2002, it was believed that the sacrosanct principle of inviolability of borders inherited at independence would be upheld. However, it is well known that the armies of African countries invade the territories of other AU member states with impunity, causing devastation and loss of life.

3. Massive Human Rights Violations

If the horrific, filmed death of African-American George Floyd in 2020 prompted outrage from the AU and several African leaders, how can we remain silent in the face of police brutality within African states? How many Floyds are brutally treated and executed every day in Africa? Despite frequent protests from civil society and human rights defenders, the AU’s condemnations often go unheard. Thousands of Africans fall victim to racism, xenophobia, and modern slavery on their own continent. Although African diplomatic missions are aware of these scourges, everything seems to have become ‘normal’. It is not an exaggeration to say that an African is more likely to be killed by other Africans in a member state of the Union than if they were in Europe or in Asia.

Mass deportations of African immigrants to other African states occur regularly, disregarding fundamental humanitarian laws. Despite repeated condemnations and initiatives by the AU, the situation appears to be worsening.

4. Rejection of African Identity

Another troubling issue is the widespread “African malaise” among the continent’s sons and daughters. Although the AU has 55 member states on paper, millions of men and women who comprise this Union do not feel a sense of belonging to the African family. It is not uncommon to encounter nationals of AU member states who categorically refuse to identify as African. This creates a paradox: my country of origin is a member of the AU, yet I reject the idea of being an African.

5. Shortcomings in the Promotion of African Culture

Each year, African languages are disappearing like dry leaves falling from a tree.

In the realm of education, the teaching of the continent’s history from an African perspective, the promotion of African cultures, and the learning of African languages leave much to be desired. In most African states, pupils and students are largely ignorant of Africa’s history and geography. The ancient African civilisations that shaped the cradle of humanity are scarcely studied. African languages are disappearing annually due to a lack of speakers, and those that remain are generally not taught in African schools and universities. There are no genuine policies to promote indigenous languages at either national or continental levels. In the 21st century, it is easier to find a British Council, an American Cultural Centre, a Chinese Cultural Centre, a Russian Cultural Centre, or a French Cultural Centre in African cities than an African, Bantu, Fulani, or similar Cultural Centre. Disconnected from their origins and cultures, it is understandable why Africans struggle to recognise themselves as sons and daughters of the same Mother Africa.

6. Issues Between Africa and Its Diaspora

Finally, the AU regards the African diaspora as its sixth region, alongside the north, south, east, west, and centre. One may legitimately ask what the real impact of the AU is on its diaspora, and vice versa. A cloud of mutual suspicion hangs over relations between Africans on the continent and people of African descent living elsewhere. For instance, many people from the Caribbean often view their counterparts on the continent as traitors who sold them into slavery, while many Africans perceive them as more “racist” than Europeans. Africans on the continent are frequently accused of indifference towards the struggles their diaspora faces for liberation. While some African countries encourage the diaspora to return to the land of their ancestors, most AU member states lack a clear policy in favour of the diaspora.

Conclusion: The Rationale for Dialogue

Given the above, which is by no means an exhaustive analysis, it is understandable why Africans are seriously questioning the actual purpose of the AU. Is an institution that appears to lack the necessary means to implement its policies still useful to the continent and its diaspora? How can we ensure that African women and men are at the heart of the AU’s development? The answers to these questions are not easy. However, this does not mean that a different African Union, one more in tune with the aspirations of Africans, is impossible. We believe it is feasible to build or promote a genuine “African Union of the Peoples”, where the sons and daughters of Mother Africa become the principal actors in their own future and well-being.

It is to contribute to the building of this “African Union of the Peoples” that we have chosen to launch, in this forum, the debate on the future of our continent and the African Union. Just as there is the Africa we have, the Africa we want (Agenda 2063), and the Africa we deserve (failing to realise the aspirations of Agenda 2063), we can also assert that there is the African Union we have, the African Union we want – that of the peoples – and the African Union we deserve. The key is to build the Africa we want and the African Union we want. How? The debate is on!