WeUniteSSA’s List of 19 Core African Documents

Unveiling the Enduring Legacy Of African Institutions.

Exploring the Core African Documents.

Discover the pivotal documents that have shaped the continent’s institutions and governance since the inception of the OAU in 1963.

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Enhancing Understanding Through The 19 Core African Documents

The 19 Core African Documents have been instrumental in shaping the political and socio-economic framework of our continent since the establishment of the Organization of African Unity in 1963. These vital texts embody the common goals and commitments of African nations striving for unity, peace, and sustainable development. A detailed analysis of these documents highlights the development of African institutions and their ongoing efforts to address the challenges that Sub-Saharan Africa has encountered since gaining independence in the 1960s. Significant texts like the Lagos Plan of Action, Africa Priority Position on Economic Recovery, African Common Position on Africa’s External Debt Crisis, the Abuja Treaty, and the African New Partnership for African Development have been crafted to profoundly impact strategic policy initiatives essential for promoting unity, integration, and enduring sustainable growth throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. By examining these documents, we uncover a framework that has guided African institutions in their pursuit of unity, collective self-reliance, and prosperity within the region.

19 core African documents

Charter of the Organization of African Unity

Adopted in 1963, it underscored the vital necessity for political unity among African nations, the pursuit of economic unity as a pathway to shared prosperity, and the crucial process of decolonization that was essential for the continent’s development and self-determination.

Read the Charter

African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights

The charter, established in 1991, seeks to establish an African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights and peoples’ rights across Africa.
Read the Banjul Charter

UN Declaration on the Critical Economic Situation in Africa

Adopted in 1984, this declaration by the UN aims to highlight the urgent economic challenges faced by Africa during the 1980s and outlines significant measures to tackle the continent’s social and economic issues from that era.
Read the Declaration

United Nations Programme of Action for Africa Economic Recovery and Development 1986-1990

Adopted in 1986, this document examined the ongoing economic and social challenges facing Africa during the 1980s and urged the international community to make substantial contributions towards Africa’s development efforts, aiming to aid millions of Africans grappling with hunger and malnutrition during that decade.

Read the Programme

African Charter for Popular Participation and Transformation

Adopted in 1990, this charter emerged from African leaders’ recognition that sustainable development requires active public participation in decision-making processes. It represents a commitment to inclusive governance and meaningful citizen engagement in development. By focusing on empowerment, democratic practices, integration of traditional knowledge, sustainability, stakeholder collaboration, and effective monitoring, it offers a strategic approach to transforming Africa’s socio-economic landscape.
Read the Charter

UN-NADAF Mid-term Review

The 1991 UN-NADAF Mid-term Review evaluated the progress of the New Agenda for the Development of Africa, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1986. This review highlighted the achievements and challenges faced by African nations over the past five years, revealing that many issues had worsened. In response, UN-NADAF called for new development priorities focused on rapid economic transformation through integration and diversification to boost competitiveness in the global economy.
Read UN-NADAF

Relaunching Africa's Economic and Social Development: The Cairo Agenda for Action

Adopted in 1995, the agenda aims to review and analyze the root causes of economic and social challenges, providing recommendations for sustainable solutions to be implemented by African governments with international support. It emphasizes the need for effective execution and ongoing follow-up on leaders’ decisions for continental development. The agenda advocates for citizen integration into national development strategies, ensuring their active participation in planning and monitoring projects. It also highlights the crucial role of women in social and economic development and addresses issues like migration and the brain drain affecting African nations.
Read the Cairo Agenda

Sirte Declaration

The Sirte Declaration, which was adopted on September 9, 1999, during the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Organization of African Unity in Sirte, Libya, signified a significant milestone in the quest for African unity and integration. This important declaration primarily aimed at the formation of the African Union, addressing the numerous challenges that the continent faces. A pivotal outcome of the Sirte Declaration was the commitment to establish the African Union, which was intended to be a more vibrant and effective body than its predecessor, the OAU, and endowed with the necessary tools to confront the modern issues affecting Africa.
Read the Declaration

The Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Co-operation in Africa

The Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Co-operation in Africa, known as CSSDCA, was established in response to the pressing challenges facing the continent, including armed conflicts, political instability, economic underdevelopment, and social disintegration. These issues are often interconnected; for example, insecurity can impede economic progress, while weak governance may intensify social discord. In light of these realities, African leaders envisioned a collaborative platform to promote dialogue and cooperation among member states, enabling them to address these critical matters collectively. The objectives of the CSSDCA encompass the promotion of peace and security, the facilitation of economic growth, and the strengthening of regional cooperation.
Read CSSDCA

The Agenda 2063

Inaugurated in 2013, Agenda 2063 embodies African leaders’ aspirations for the continent, focusing on sustainable development, economic growth, and social progress. It aims to strengthen political unity through collaboration and highlights the importance of good governance, democracy, and human rights for stability. The agenda envisions a cohesive political framework to address common challenges and seeks inclusive economic growth by promoting industrialization, enhancing agriculture, and increasing inter-African trade, all while emphasizing sustainable practices for environmental protection.
Read Agenda 2063

Monrovia Declaration of Commitment of Heads of State and Government

The declaration, adopted in 1979, strives to create a robust framework for fostering collective self-reliance and promoting sustainable economic growth that leverages Africa’s inherent resources and capabilities.
Read the Declaration

Lagos Plan of Action

Adopted in 1980, this plan is the most comprehensive initiative for Africa’s development, outlining a developmental agenda for the continent into the year 2000 based on collective self-reliance and self-sustaining economic growth.
Read the Plan

Africa's Priority Position on Economic Recovery

Adopted in 1985, this priority provides a strategic framework to drive Africa’s socio-economic transformation by uniting the United Nations and the international community to tackle Africa’s debt challenges and secure vital financing needed to implement the Lagos Plan of Action established in 1980.
Read the Priority

African Common Position on Africa's External Debt Crisis

Issued in 1987, this common position was a crucial document that tackled the urgent issue of external debt confronting African nations, arising from a situation where numerous African countries were struggling with unsustainable debt levels that significantly hindered their economic growth and development potential.
Read the Common Position

African Alternative Position to Structural Adjustment Programmes

In the 1980s, many African nations faced severe economic challenges such as high debt, inflation, and stagnant growth. In response, international financial institutions implemented Structural Adjustment Programs to restore stability and promote growth, but these often led to increased poverty, unemployment, and reduced access to essential services. This alternative approach emerged that focused on social equity, local ownership, and economic integration, emphasizing the need to empower communities and ensure fair resource distribution, arguing that excluding marginalized groups ultimately leads to failure.

Read the Alternative

Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community

Adopted in 1991, this treaty is a significant milestone in advancing economic integration across Africa. The Abuja Treaty establishes a framework for creating an African Economic Community by 2025, fostering cooperation and integration among nations. It aims to promote collaboration through improved trade relations, coordinated policies, and sustainable development, while establishing institutional frameworks to support these goals.
Read the Treaty

Cairo Plan of Actionj: Africa-Europe Summit Under the Aegis of the OAUand the EU

The Cairo Plan of Action emerged from the Africa-Europe Summit held in Cairo, Egypt, on April 3-4, 2000, bringing together leaders from African nations and European Union member states to explore shared interests and collaborate across various sectors. Guided by the Organization of African Unity and the European Union, the summit demonstrated a strong commitment to forging a strategic partnership between Africa and Europe, focusing on enhancing political dialogue, fostering economic cooperation, providing development assistance, implementing crisis management strategies, refining migration policies, facilitating cultural exchanges, and establishing effective follow-up mechanisms to ensure the success of these initiatives.
Read the Cairo Plan

Constitutive Act of the African Union

The Constitutive Act of the African Union serves as a crucial legal framework that was ratified by African leaders on July 26, 2000, in Lomé, Togo. This landmark document marked a significant transition from the Organization of African Unity to the African Union, reflecting a renewed commitment to addressing the continent’s challenges and enhancing solidarity among African nations. The transformation from the OAU to the AU arose from the urgent necessity for a stronger response to conflicts, economic hardships, and political instability across Africa. Established in 1963 to promote cooperation and unity among African states, the OAU ultimately demonstrated its shortcomings in fostering unity, managing crises, and encouraging sustainable development. The Constitutive Act was designed to effectively address these shortcomings.
Read the Act

The New Partnership for Africa's development

The New Partnership for Africa’s Development or NEPAD was launched in 2001 with the goal of confronting the multifaceted challenges that African countries encounter while advancing sustainable development throughout the continent. It highlights the critical need for Africa to forge its own path in development and stresses the significance of cooperative approaches to resolve urgent social and economic issues. NEPAD offers a solid foundation for sustainable development, emphasizing vital sectors such as economic advancement, poverty alleviation, effective governance, regional unity, infrastructure improvement, scientific innovation, environmental stewardship, and the formation of strategic alliances with international partners.
Read NEPAD

Key Milestones in African Governance

This timeline serves as a comprehensive overview of significant milestones in the development of African institutions since the Charter of the Organization of African Unity was adopted, illustrating the remarkable transformation of these institutions over the years.

1963

Charter Adoption

The Organization of African Unity (OAU) Charter was adopted, marking the beginning of a new era of cooperation among African nations.

1980

Lagos Plan of Action

The Lagos Plan of Action was introduced, aiming to promote economic self-reliance and reduce dependency on external aid.

1991

Abuja Treaty

The Abuja Treaty established the African Economic Community, setting the stage for deeper economic integration across the continent.

2001

Formation of the African Union

The African Union was formed, succeeding the OAU, with a renewed focus on addressing political and economic challenges.

2013

Agenda 2063 Launch

Agenda 2063 was launched, outlining a strategic framework for the socio-economic transformation of Africa over the next 50 years.

2020

African Continental Free Trade Area

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) came into effect, representing a significant step towards economic integration.

Expert Notes

The foundational African documents intricately detail the evolving narrative of Sub-Saharan African Institutions, tracing their development from the pivotal Addis Ababa Convention established in 1963 to the strategic implementation of Agenda 2063, highlighting the significant milestones and transformations that have shaped the political, social, and economic landscape of the region over the decades.

These documents are significant not merely because they enjoy official recognition or are frequently cited but also for the invaluable insights they offer into the operational effectiveness of African institutions. They serve as a lens through which we can examine the evolution and performance of these institutions over time, revealing patterns, successes, and challenges that have shaped their development and impact within the broader socio-economic landscape.

The collection of these 19 Core Documents is not intended to be definitive or exhaustive, but rather serves as a foundational resource. It introduces intriguing and often unexpected aspects of the performance and history of African institutions, aiming to inspire citizens of Sub-Saharan Africa to engage with these texts and deepen their understanding. Many of these documents highlight the distinctiveness of African institutions and their contributions to the region’s development challenges, offering one valuable perspective through which to evaluate these institutions.