50% of the AU budget comes from the EU and China.
The African Union (AU) intends to defend African interests, however it depends on more than 50% of its budget on support from external partners such as the European Union (EU) and China.
economic dependency
It is no secret that a good part of African countries have delays in their contributions and that it is the largest continental economies such as South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria or Morocco that are the major contributors to the pan-African organization.
The AU must have its own and African financial viability that cannot depend on partners such as the EU or China, to allow the organization to be completely independent and autonomous in its strategies and in the positions or decisions it has to take.
In addition to the impact that this financial dependence can have on the independence of decisions and positions taken by the AU, the continental institution needs adequate, reliable and regular resources to implement its programs in order to achieve its objectives of development and continental integration.
It is crucial to realize that the AU cannot depend on partners like the EU or China in order to be completely independent in its strategies, positions and decisions.
This concern is not new
Already in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, in 2016, member states had decided to carry out a financial reform that included, among others, fair sharing of the burden of the AU budget and less dependence on some countries, financial autonomy and less dependence on external sources as well as the payment of contributions within the stipulated deadlines.
To support the implementation of these measures, a committee of fifteen Ministers of Finance (F15) was created, whose main theme of work is focused on the topic “Improving the resilience of African economies and the financial viability of the AU”.
F15 has also been looking into how the efficient implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) should support AU funding, thereby seeking the much-desired economic independence.
Conclusion
It is essential that a forthcoming Summit of Heads of State and Government find the necessary responses to the financing of the African Union, creating the bases for less financial dependence on the European Union and China.
What do you think of the financial dependence of the UA? Can they still be exempt? Give us your opinion, do not hesitate to comment and if you liked the article, share and give a “like/like”.
Picture: © 2021 Francisco Lopes-Santos
