60 Years of Unity: Development Milestones of African Union

This year, the OAU, as well as its successor organization, the African Union (AU), marks the 60th anniversary of its creation. Sixty years ago, 32 African leaders, heads of young independent nations, convened in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to sign a Charter establishing the continent's first post-independence continental institution, the OAU.

As the main task of the OAU, the liberation of the continent, was successfully completed, the member states decided to refocus the bloc's attention from decolonization to integration, replacing it with the African Union (AU) on July 9, 2002. The re-launched organization continues to this day to uphold many of the founding principles of its predecessor, including unity, equality, freedom and justice.

Africa Day symbolizes the desire of African nations for unity and freedom, their commitment to ensure independent development, the peace and prosperity on the continent, and making sure that their voices are heard and respected. Today African countries are taking steps to reformat the architecture of international relations in order to take a more worthy place in the global arena.

This 60th anniversary is celebrated under the theme "Our Africa Our Future". On this historic date, Sputnik brings you a collection of photos illustrating major milestones in the history of the most significant African intergovernmental institution.

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Reproduction of a file photo dated May 25, 1963 shows the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie (C) and Ghana's founder and first President Kwame Nkrumah (L) during the formation of the Organization of African Unity in Addis Ababa.

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Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, center, and President Gamal Abdel Nasser of the United Arab republic, applaud a speech by President Habib Bourguiba of Tunisia, right, during the second day of the African summit conference in Addis Ababa on May 23, 1963.

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Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia heads the closing speech of the "summit" conference of African heads of State in Africa Hall in Ababa, Ethiopia on May 25, 1963. The conference opened on May 22.

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Some 33 heads of state and government observe a minute of silence in memory of late founders of the OUA, among them Moroccan King Hassan II, on July 10, 2000 during the opening session of the 36th summit of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in Lome, Togo.

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Members of the Togolese presidential guard stand on July 9, 2000 at Lome's airport to welcome African presidents, one day before the beginning of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) summit.

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South African President Thabo Mbeki attends the opening of the extraordinary session of the Organization of the African Unity on September 8, 1999 in the city of Sirte south east of Tripoli.

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Guinea's President Lansana Conte (L) is greeted by outgoing Organization of African Unity (OAU) chairman Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa (C), new African Unity Chairman South African President Thabo Mbeki (2nd R) and OAU Secretary general Mali's Amara Essy (R) in Durban on July 8, 2002 at the final summit of the organization. The OAU is to be replaced by a more powerful African Union.

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South African troops parade during the ceremony of the official launch of the African Union (AU) on July 9, 2002 in Durban. The first session of the 53-member AU, which replaced the Organization of African Unity, was opened by South African President Thabo Mbeki, who chaired the new-pan-African body for its first year.

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UN Secretary General Kofi Annan addresses the final summit of the Organization of African Unity (OAU).The AU, modelled on the European Union, proposed to create an African peace and security council, an African parliament, a common court of justice, central bank, and single currency

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South Africans hold up posters of African presidents at a stadium in Durban during the official launch of the African Union (AU).

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Former South African president Nelson Mandela (C), flanked by last secretary general of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Salim Ahmed Salim (L) and Dutch Crown Prince Willem Alexander, wave during the inauguration on August 28, 2002 of the Water Dome in Johannesburg, one of the exhibitions of the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

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Zulu people wait for the beginning of the ceremony of the official launch of the African Union (AU) on July 9, 2002 in Durban.

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The Assembly of the African Union begins its 35th ordinary session on February 5, 2022.