NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) 鈥� Africa鈥檚 top regional body opened its annual summit on Saturday in to discuss the future of the continent of some 1.4 billion people, as the organization faces widespread discontent.
Set up to 鈥減romote the unity and solidarity of the African States,鈥� analysts say the faces a legitimacy crisis among youth for failing to meet their expectations. Meanwhile, several African countries battle , and worsened by .
Africa has the youngest population in the world, with more than 400 million people aged 15 to 35 years old. But it is also home to several of the oldest and longest-serving leaders 鈥� a paradox that has contributed to an upsurge in coups.
With a young population set to double by 2050, it is the only rapidly growing region where its people are getting poorer. Many African youths, on social media, express how they view the AU as 鈥榓 bloc of old leaders鈥�, which sees their interests as less of a priority.
The organization has missed opportunities to be people-centered and citizen-driven and has instead focused largely on governments and leaders, said Liesl Louw-Vaudran, a senior analyst with the Crisis Group.
鈥淲hat the youth is really asking and why people are frustrated is because this is not an African Union for citizens. It鈥檚 not a people-driven African Union,鈥� Louw-Vaudran added.
As several African countries held elections for new presidents over the last year, a clear pattern of sidelined opposition candidates emerged, leading to disputed results and protests from mostly young voters after incumbents were reelected.
The AU was often accused of being quick to side with the reelected and slow to call out flawed processes.
As authorities in Uganda shut down the internet and clamped down on the opposition during the East African country鈥檚 presidential election in January, the African Union Commission issued a statement 鈥渃ommending鈥� the conduct of the poll.
This enraged many youths, with one person saying: 鈥淒ictatorship club has spoken.鈥�
The day after, the AU election observer mission issued a preliminary report noting 鈥渞eports of harassment, intimidation and arrest of opposition leaders, candidates, supporters鈥� media and civic society actors鈥� in the election.
One key challenge the AU has battled over the years is weak enforcement of resolutions, according to Macharia Munene, a professor of history at the United States International University in Nairobi. And that’s because “not all members meet their dues or fully accept what is generally decided,鈥� he said.
In Nigeria鈥檚 capital of Abuja, resident Chima Ekwueme said the African Union does not care about holding leaders accountable, citing Nigeria鈥檚 deadly security crises and economic hardship despite its rich mineral wealth.
鈥淭hey are there for their own interests,鈥� Ekwueme, 32, told The Associated Press. 鈥淚n Nigeria, we have all it takes to put things in order (but) look at how difficult things are and where is the AU?鈥�
At the 39th African Union Summit being held in Ethiopia鈥檚 capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday and Sunday, the theme is water and sanitation. Discussions will feature the continent鈥檚 response to climate change and humanitarian crises following foreign aid cuts from international partners such as the United States.
Observers say the AU Summit will provide an opportunity to align continental priorities with international partners, especially as discussions around come up, with foreign leaders signaling shifting global alliances.
鈥淔rom Sudan to the Sahel, to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in Somalia and elsewhere, our people continue to pay the heavy price of instability,鈥� AU Commission Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf said Saturday. He also called for an immediate halt to the 鈥渆xtermination.. of the Palestinian people,” prompting Mohammad Mustafa, Prime Minister of the State of Palestine, to thank Africa for its solidarity.
Still, critics urge the African Union to look inward by paying closer attention to the continent鈥檚 most pressing challenges and doing more to hold leaders accountable when they fail to meet expectations.
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Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria.
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