CHAPTER 2: THE AFRICAN GOVERNANCE POLICY FRAMEWORK 2.1 Constitutive Act of the African Union The Constitutive Act of the African Union is the foundation of the governance framework and the basis for policy and institutional arrangements. It defines the establishment, objectives, and principles of the AU and of the major implementing organs and institutions. Reflected in the Constitutive Act are global values, principles, and norms relating to human rights, sovereignty, peace and security, good neighbourliness, cultural and socio-economic values and international cooperation that are also contained in the Purposes and Principles of the UN11 as stated in the Charter of the United Nations (UN). The Constitutive Act also calls for the promotion of sustainable development at the economic, social and cultural levels as well as for the integration of African economies (Article 3(j)). 2.2 African Union Shared Values The African Union Vision is to achieve “An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international arena”.12 Thus, unity, prosperity, peace, citizen empowerment, and global engagement are the common goals that inform collective decisions and actions. Article 3 of the Constitutive Act has the following objectives: achieve greater unity and solidarity between African countries and the peoples of Africa; defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its Member States; accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent; encourage international cooperation, take due account of the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; promote peace, security, and stability on the continent; promote democratic principles and institutions, popular participation and good governance; promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other relevant human rights instruments; and promote cooperation in all fields of human activity to raise the living standards of African peoples. The AU has a set of shared values which centre around democracy and good governance, rule of law and human rights, peace and security and continental development and integration. 2.2.1 Democracy and Good Governance The African Union aims to promote democracy and good governance among its Member States. These ideals are critical for development, peace, security and governance on the continent. Apart from the Constitutive Act, the AU’s commitment to these ideals is manifest in other instruments such as the Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG), OAU/AU Declaration on Principles Governing Democratic Elections, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance, the (Algiers and Lomé) Declarations on Unconstitutional Changes of Government, and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. 11 See Annex 1, Table 1: Highlights of the interrelationships between the Global UN and OAU/AU principles, purposes and objectives 12 African Union Commission (AUC), 2015. Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want. Page 27 of 96