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Flags in front of the AU logo on a wall inside the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa.
Image: Han Xu/Xinhua/picture alliance

African Union (AU)

The African Union (AU) is a union consisting of 55 African states. Its goal is to promote political and economic cooperation on the continent.

Skip next section Reports & Analysis

Reports & Analysis

Papwa Sewgolum Golf Course, left, located along the lush green slopes of the Umgeni River in Durban, adjacent to an informal settlement

How illegal financial flows stifle Africa's growth

How illegal financial flows stifle Africa's growth

Africa's illegal cash flows have increased over the recent years, according to an African Union report.
BusinessSeptember 4, 2025
The words "Are the African Union and ECOWAS losing relevance" alongside the logos of the AU, ECOWAS

Are the African Union and ECOWAS losing relevance?

Are the African Union and ECOWAS losing relevance?

Amid conflict in Sudan and coups in the Sahel, are these continental and regional bodies relevant or merely symbolic?
PoliticsJuly 24, 202501:42 min
Students pass through a Ugandan customs checkpoint on their way to Rwanda

Why don't all Africans have free movement within Africa?

Why don't all Africans have free movement within Africa?

The African Union's ambitious vision for seamless movement across the continent is facing some challenges.
PoliticsJuly 17, 2025
A UN peacekeeper stands infront of a mural.

DRC conflict: Why peace remains elusive

DRC conflict: Why peace remains elusive

Challenges such as unclear roles, funding issues, and external influences continue to hinder the peace process.
ConflictsMarch 26, 2025
Business Beyond - African economy

A united African economy: The impossible dream?

A united African economy: The impossible dream?

Despite having almost 20% of the global population, Africa accounts for less than 3% of global GDP. Will this change?
BusinessMarch 19, 202530:44 min
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf

Can Djibouti's Mahmoud Ali Youssouf turn the AU around? 

Can Djibouti's Mahmoud Ali Youssouf turn the AU around? 

Youssouf has taken the helm of the African Union amid rising regional tensions and a looming funding crisis.
PoliticsMarch 15, 202501:35 min
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Skip next section In the spotlight

In the spotlight

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a ministerial meeting

Brazil's Lula aims to bolster geopolitical ties with Africa

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is seeking to deepen economic and geopolitical ties with Africa.
PoliticsFebruary 15, 2024
Senegalese demonstrators shout slogans on the streets of the capital Dakar.

Is Senegal's democracy under threat?

Senegal is considered one of West Africa's most stable democracies. But an election delay threatens to erode gains.
PoliticsFebruary 6, 2024
Masked woman at top of airplane stairway, behind her a runway, bus, other passengers

How Germany manages EU funds in Africa

Germany is the biggest donor to the EU fund to curb migration from Africa. Where did the money go? And what comes next?
MigrationApril 14, 2022
Migrants sit onboard a boat navigating in agitated waters between Sangatte and Cap Blanc-Nez (Cape White Nose), in the English Channel off the coast of northern France, as they attempt to cross the maritime borders between France and the United Kingdom on August 27, 2020

EU: Development aid as migration control

The EU's Emergency Trust Fund for Africa prioritizes curbing migration over fostering development, critics say.
MigrationApril 13, 2022
More than 80 people on a wooden boat in the Mediterranean sea.

How the EU spent billions to halt migration from Africa

The European Union set high goals with its Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. DW examines whether the EUTF achieved them.
MigrationApril 12, 2022
Sudanese youths raise their national flag at protests

Africa's democracy under threat in 2021

Coups, conflicts and the coronavirus pandemic put Africa's democratic institutions to the test in 2021.
PoliticsDecember 31, 2021
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