The Evolution of the African Union

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The Organization of African Union (OAU) was formed on May 25, 1963, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It was a union created by 32 sovereign African nations, which had legitimate anticipations and visions for Africa. Each country would have wished to have the meeting established at their home country, but they chose Ethiopia due to the thriving efforts of the late Ketema Yifru, who was recognized by the media as having played a greater role in the formation of the union. Ketema was the foreign minister of Ethiopia during that time. However, the formation of the OAU had been accompanied by shuttled diplomacy, closed door negotiations and tireless efforts. This indicates the challenges that were involved in its formation. There was a fierce diplomatic battle as majority of the African countries did not want the union to be formed (Murithi, 69-82). The Organization of African Union was formed in order to reinforce the continent of Africa and to make it less susceptible to exterior pressure. Kwame Nkrumah, who was at that time the president of Ghana, believed that unity in the continent of Africa was essential. In order to exercise his words, Nkrumah commenced an association that stressed the instant union of the African continent. After Nkrumah’s presentation on the idea of African unison, a division was formed that triggered the onset of the movement. Some countries like Ghana, Guinea, and Mali believed in the organization of the African union, and therefore went on to form the Casablanca group which included the transitional administration of Algeria and Morocco. Consequently, a Monrovia group consisting of 24 members, acknowledged as the conformists joined to oppose the unity of the African continent. The members included Togo, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Liberia, Nigeria, and many others who believed that the union of Africa was of no use to the citizens. The contest
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