ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the requirements for membership and accession to the African Union (AU) by a non-Member State. One of the key challenges facing the AU is the high level of non-compliance with membership obligations. The constitution of the AU attempts to address this issue and takes a proactive approach by introducing a sanction regime. Article 23(1) of the Constitutive Act empowers the Assembly of the AU to impose sanctions on Member States if they default in the payment of their contributions to the AU budget. Article 31 of the Constitutive Act provides a method for voluntary withdrawal from the Union by Member States. It provides that a Member State may renounce its membership by written notification to the Chairperson of the AU Commission. The chapter also analyses the legal implications of membership for States and citizens. The AU legal order has the potential to reform and harmonise Member States' rules and laws regarding citizenship and nationality.