IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 234 

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Organization 

of African Unity (OAU) and commending its successor, the African Union. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 23, 2013 

Ms. BASS (for herself and Mr. HONDA) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of 

the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and commending its successor, the African Union. 

Whereas on May 25, 1963, 32 newly independent African 

countries signed the Charter of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to promote unity, solidarity, and political and economic cooperation among themselves, and to 

defend member states’ sovereignty, territorial integrity, 

and independence; 

Whereas upon its inception, the OAU embraced the principles 

of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including 

freedom of association, free expression, and political participation; 

Whereas such efforts to encourage African unity, advance 

human rights, and promote economic development on the 


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continent were undermined by regional conflicts, military 

coups, and civil wars, as well as large foreign debts, increasing trade imbalances, food insecurity, and inequity; 

Whereas a decision declaring the establishment of the African 

Union (AU) as a successor organization to the OAU to 

promote democratic principles and institutions, encourage 

economic growth, and develop new tools for the collective 

promotion of regional stability was adopted in Sirte, 

Libya, on March 1, 2001, and March 2, 2001; 

Whereas the vision of the African Union is that of ‘‘An integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own 

citizens and representing a dynamic force in global 

arena’’; 

Whereas the African Union expresses commitment to the essential values of transparency and accountability, and 

promotes democratic processes across the continent of Africa; 

Whereas the African Union departed from the OAU’s abiding 

doctrine of nonintervention in the internal affairs of 

member states in favor of a new policy establishing the 

right of the AU to intervene in the affairs of a member 

state under grave circumstances, including with respect 

to war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity; 

Whereas the African Union continues to build more robust 

African regional institutions in order to address the myriad challenges facing the continent, and has established 

an African peace and security architecture, the New 

Partnership for Africa’s Development, a strategic framework for regional socioeconomic development, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program, and 


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the African Peer Review Mechanism, which seeks to help 

advance good governance, among other institutions; 

Whereas the African Union has contributed to regional peace 

and security by mobilizing peacekeeping or intervention 

forces to protect civilians or support political mediation 

missions, and peace-building processes in Burundi, 

Comoros, Sudan, Somalia, and Mali; 

Whereas efforts to end conflicts on the continent of Africa, 

which continue to destabilize states, undermine democracy, stifle economic growth and investment, and rob 

young Africans of the opportunity for an education and 

a better life, are a key United States objective; 

Whereas it is critical to the interests of the United States 

that the African Union be well-resourced and capable of 

effectively addressing current conflicts and preventing future ones, advancing socioeconomic development and economic growth, and consolidating democracy and good 

governance; 

Whereas the United States Government demonstrated its 

strong commitment to working closely with the AU by establishing a Mission to the African Union in 2006; 

Whereas on August 3, 2010, the United States and the African Union signed a $5,800,000 multi-year assistance 

agreement to achieve common policy objectives in the 

areas of peace and security, economic development, regional integration, health and social welfare, and good 

governance on the African continent; 

Whereas on June 14, 2012, President Obama announced a 

United States Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa, 

which calls on the United States to deepen its partnership with African countries and regional organizations by 


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supporting efforts to advance accountable, democratic 

governance, and adherence to human rights norms and 

the rule of law, particularly by supporting the African 

Union African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and 

Governance and other multilateral standards; 

Whereas key goals also supported by the African Union include fostering peace and security, spuring economic 

growth, trade, and investment; and promoting opportunity and development; 

Whereas on February 1, 2013, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the United States and the 

African Union to cement cooperation on peace and security; democracy, and governance, economic growth, trade, 

and investment, and promotion of opportunity and development; 

Whereas the African Union serves as a preeminent dialogue 

and policy-making forum for African leaders seeking to 

advance a wide-range of regional political, security, social, and economic objectives, including sub-regional integration, and is a key interlocutor for and representative 

of the people of Africa in international political and policy forums, including the United Nations; and 

Whereas close relations between the United States the African Union mutually benefit the people of the United 

States and Africa and the political, security, economic, 

and social relations that link them: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) extends warm congratulations to the former 

3 member states of the Organization of African Unity 


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1 on the 50th year anniversary of its founding, in par2 ticular its original 32 member states; 

3 (2) commends member states of the African 

4 Union for their strong and determined joint efforts 

5 to promote democratic societies, sustainable develop6 ment, and sound economic practices, and peace, se7 curity, and stability on the continent; 

8 (3) urges President Barack Obama to continue 

9 to strongly support efforts to advance and strength10 en United States-African Union cooperation, includ11 ing through United States programs to help build 

12 the capacities of the African Union; 

13 (4) encourages President Barack Obama to ex14 pedite and expand United States efforts to achieve 

15 the goals and objectives of his United States Strat16 egy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa; and 

17 (5) emphasizes the rule of law, good govern18 ance, respect for human rights, and open markets 

19 and equitable socioeconomic growth and development 

20 as key pillars for long-term stability and security on 

21 the continent of and United States engagement with 

22 Africa. 

Æ 


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