African+Union+Actions

[|2 Membership] : All African countries except Morocco (northwest Africa), which opposes membership of Western Sahara as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Control of Western Sahara is contested between Morocco and SADR A strong “United States of Africa” is supported by Northern countries such as Libya but many Southern countries support rather a strengthening of the existing structures, with some reforms to deal with administrative and political challenges.
 * African Union Actions ** 2/3/09
 * Morocco** **Protest**

Zimbabwe
The political crisis in [|Zimbabwe] has been debated both by the African Union and in particular by the [|Southern African Development Community]. At African Union level, the situation in Zimbabwe has been a controversial focus of discussions in the Executive Council of the activity reports of the [|African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights] in which human rights abuses in Zimbabwe have been a leading subject since the early 2000s. Zimbabwe formed a major focus of debate at the 11th AU Summit held in Sharm el Shaik, Egypt, in July 2008, with some states, including Senegal, Benin, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Botswana, Nigeria, Kenya and others backing strong action against Zimbabwe in light of the problematic second round presidential elections held in June. Among others, [|Raila Odinga], the [|Prime Minister] of [|Kenya] , called for suspension of [|Robert Mugabe] and Zimbabwe from the AU.[|[19]] However, the summit eventually adopted a resolution that did not apply any sanctions against the government of Robert Mugabe but merely urged the two main parties in Zimbabwe to negotiate a solution to their differences.[|[20]]

Togo
In response to the death of [|Gnassingbé Eyadéma], President of [|Togo] , on 5 February 2005, AU leaders described the naming of his son [|Faure Gnassingbé] the successor as a [|military coup] .[|[21]] Togo's constitution calls for the speaker of parliament to succeed the president in the event of his death. By law, the parliament speaker must call national elections to choose a new president within sixty days. The AU's protest forced Gnassingbé to hold elections. Under heavy allegations of election fraud, he was officially elected President on 4 May 2005.

Mauritania
On 3 August 2005, a coup in [|Mauritania] led the African Union to suspend the country from all organisational activities. The Military Council that took control of Mauritania promised to hold elections within two years. These were held in early 2007, the first time that the country had held elections that were generally agreed to be of an acceptable standard.[//[|citation needed]//] Following the elections, Mauritania's membership of the AU was restored. However, on 6 August 2008, a fresh coup overthrew the government elected in 2007. The AU once again suspended Mauritania from the continental body.

Regional conflicts and military interventions
One of the objectives of the AU is to "promote peace, security, and stability on the continent".[|[22]] Among its principles is 'Peaceful resolution of conflicts among Member States of the Union through such appropriate means as may be decided upon by the Assembly'.[|[23]] The primary body charged with implementing these objectives and principles is the Peace and Security Council. The PSC has the power, among other things, to authorise peace support missions, to impose sanctions in case of unconstitutional change of government, and to "take initiatives and action it deems appropriate" in response to potential or actual conflicts. The PSC is a decision-making body in its own right, and its decisions are binding on member states. Article 4(h) of the Constitutive Act, repeated in article 4 of the Protocol to the Constitutive Act on the PSC, also recognises the right of the Union to intervene in member state in circumstances of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.

Darfur, Sudan
In response to the ongoing [|Darfur conflict] in [|Sudan], the AU has deployed 7,000 peacekeepers, many from [|Rwanda] and [|Nigeria] , to [|Darfur]. While a donor's conference in [|Addis Ababa] in 2005 helped raise funds to sustain the peacekeepers through that year and into 2006, in July 2006 the AU said it would pull out at the end of September when its mandate expires.[|[25]] Critics of the AU peacekeepers, including Dr. [|Eric Reeves], have said these forces are largely ineffective due to lack of funds, personnel, and expertise. Monitoring an area roughly the size of [|France] has made it even more difficult to sustain an effective mission. In June 2006, the United States [|Congress] appropriated US$173 million for the AU force. Some, such as the [|Genocide Intervention Network], have called for [|United Nations] (UN) or [|NATO] intervention to augment and/or replace the AU peacekeepers. The UN has considered deploying a force, though it would not likely enter the country until at least October 2007.[|[26]] The under-funded and badly equipped AU mission was set to expire on December 31, 2006 but was extended to June 30, 2007 and will merge with the [|United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur].

Somalia
[|Somalia] has been effectively without a government since the early 1990s. A peace agreement aimed at ending the [|Somali Civil War] that broke out following the fall of the regime of Siad Barre, was finally signed in 2006 after many years of peace talks. However, the new government was almost immediately threatened by further violence. On 6 March 2007, Ugandan AU soldiers arrived in [|Mogadishu] as part of a peacekeeping force that is intended by the AU to eventually be 8,000 strong. [|Burundi], [|Nigeria] , [|Malawi] and [|Ghana] are also expected to contribute, but have yet to do so.[|[27]] [|Somaliland] , in the north of Somalia, effectively operates as an independent country, though neither the AU nor any other international organisation has recognised it.

Anjouan, Comoros
[|Mohamed Bacar], who had led the separatist government since 2001, was elected for a five-year term as President of [|Anjouan]. His term expired the 14 April 2007, and the president of the assembly, [|Houmadi Caambi], became acting president from 15 April 2007 to 10 May 2007. Citing irregularities and intimidation in the run-up to voting, the African Union (AU) and the Union government postponed the polls on Anjouan, but a defiant island president Mohamed Bacar printed his own ballots, held elections anyway and claimed a landslide victory of 90 percent on 11 May 2007.[|[28]] In October 2007, the African Union imposed travel sanctions on Anjouan's President Mohamed Bacar and other government officials and froze their foreign assets while calling for fresh elections. Additionally, a naval blockade of the island was implemented.[|[29]] In February 2008, the Comoros rejected the **African Union**'s extended sanctions against Anjouan and instead opted for a military solution. In March 2008 hundreds of Union government troops began assembling on Moheli, which is closer to Anjouan than the larger island Grande Comore. [|Sudan] and [|Senegal] were expected to provide a total of 750 troops, while Libya has offered logistical support for the operation. In addition, 500 Tanzanian troops were due to arrive soon after.[|[30]][|[31]] The forces invaded Anjouan on 25 March 2008.

Economy
The combined states of the African Union constitute the world's [|17th largest economy] with a [|nominal GDP] of [|$] 500 billion, ranking after the [|Netherlands]. By measuring GDP by PPP, the African Union's economy totals $1.515 trillion, ranking it 11th after [|Brazil]. At the same time, they have a combined total debt of $200 billion. The AU future confederation's goals include the creation of a [|free trade area], a [|customs union] , a [|single market] , a [|central bank] , and a [|common currency] , thereby establishing [|economic and monetary union]. The current plan is to establish an [|African Economic Community] with a single currency (the Afro) by 2023.