ABSTRACT
The Organization of African Unity (OAU) was established on May 25, 1963, as the sole pan-African organization. At the time, its members included thirtythree newly independent African states.1 The OAU’s institutional objectives were comprehensive, including political, economic, and social independence from the extra-continental powers and cooperation among member states. Over time, the number of members increased as more African states became independent, and in 1994 the OAU included South Africa, which abolished apartheid and became the final African state to achieve self-determination. In 2002, after achieving its foremost institutional objective, the OAU was replaced by the African Union (AU). Through this institutional history, two major institutional changes-in the OAU from 1979-1982 and in the OAU/AU from 1989-2002-shaped the organization’s security roles.
