- African CSOs welcome the move towards the formation of the African Union, as an expression of the broad demand for unity by the African peoples. The success of the AU will depend on good governance, stakeholder participation, human rights and democratisation at all levels. There is a need to deepen democracy and promote participation. Adherence to constitutionalism is the core principle. Africa needs to further refine the principles of constitutionalism, strengthening the basic principle enunciated in Article 30 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, namely the suspension of governments that come to power through unconstitutional means from participation in the activities of the Union.
- The sequencing of the setting up of the institutions of the African Union is a matter of importance requiring careful attention.
- The African Parliament, as stipulated in Article 17 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, is a core institution for the African Union. This should be established as soon as possible and should as rapidly as possible be based upon direct elections.
- Africa should move towards a common citizenship, through the initial steps of harmonising citizenship, naturalisation, immigration and employment laws, and through progressively removing restrictions on travel.
- The African Court of Justice, as stipulated in Article 18 of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, is a core institution for the promotion of economic integration and the core values contained in the Constitutive Act of Union.
- The African Court on Human and People’s Rights must be strengthened so as to serve as an effective guardian of human rights across the continent. People as well as governments should be represented in the court. It should be the supreme court of Africa, and its decisions should be justiciable.
- Building upon the OAU-CSO meeting of June 2001, the African Union should establish the Economic, Social and Cultural Council as a consultation mechanism for liaison with stakeholders. This forum should receive its mandate from African civil society organisations, the private sector, research institutes, relevant African organisations in the diaspora, in order to ensure the widest possible stakeholder participation. One of the functions of this mechanism is to focus activities of monitoring the African Union and other regional and subregional organisations and initiatives.
- The African Union should investigate new mechanisms for financing to avoid complete dependence on the dues of Member States. A percentage of taxation revenue should be considered as a mechanism for financing.
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