ABSTRACT
In the grand scheme and discourse of continental and regional dynamics in Africa, little time is spent on the organisational machinery and institutional capabilities to make regional organisations work, or work better. Africa’s regional organisations are heavily dependent on external funding. This article argues that the nature of the partnership between the African Union Commission and aid donors affects the governance machinery of the African Union Commission and its potential to strengthen capabilities for supporting regional development outcomes. At a time of major institutional reforms of the African Union, this chapter argues to put the partnership relations more central in the debates about reforms, rather than pretend that they are a thing of the past.
