This years AU Summit was themed ‘Industrial Development for Africa’ referring to Plan of Action that was elaborated by the Ministers of Industry and submitted to the Assembly last year.
On Monday before the official opening of the Summit, Foreign Ministers of the African Union have begun to examine the audit report of the African Union prepared by a high-level panel. It focuses extensively functioning of the Commission, which he described as a ‘malfunctioning body’ after only four years of existence. The document was drawn up after a three-month work, it takes stock of the African Union as a whole, and made 172 recommendations. The audit report reviews the performance of the Authority of Heads of State, Council of Ministers of the PRC (the body which brings together ambassadors accredited to the AU), the pan-African parliament, ECOSOC (Economic and Social Council). Among some key findings, the panel described the relationship between the Commission President, the Vice-President and the eight commissioners as dysfunctional, with overlaps in the portfolios, lines of authority and liability and unclear and ill-defined goals. In addition, a lack of adequate leadership has also led to tension between some commissioners and the teams around them. The panel spoke of a lack of supervision due to the repeated absences of Commissioners and low morale posted in the staff. Moreover few commissioners and directors can claim to have relations marked by respect and profitable. The departments were described as working “in silos”.
The audit made a series of recommendations to address these issues including on the nomination of the Commissioners and Chairperson of the AU. The AU Commission regretted that timeframe of the audit did not allow the high panel to go enough into details to solve the problems. Prior to the official publication of the audit, the Chairperson of the High Level Panel, Professor Adebayo Adedeji, had encouraged all civil society organizations to participate in the independent performance review by submitting comments, opinion, analysis and criticism by email in order to foster civil society participation in the shaping of the AU. However, African leaders delayed action on the audit and nominated a committee composed by twelve Heads of State in order to make proposals to be examined at the next AU Summit in Cairo. The 12-member committee, opened to Tanzania and Ghana as former and current AU chairmen, will base its work on the finalized audit report delivered by the high panel of eminent persons. The AUC drafted a response to the issues raised in the audit report.
