The African Union was conceived at an extraordinary summit in Sirte, Libya, where leaders of the Organisation of African Unity adopted the Sirte Declaration calling for its creation. The idea was strongly promoted by the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The earlier body, founded in Addis Ababa in 1963, had been successful in supporting decolonisation and opposing apartheid, but it was criticised for not intervening in members' internal affairs. The Constitutive Act of the new union was adopted in 2000, and it was formally launched in Durban, South Africa, in July 2002, with headquarters in Addis Ababa. Modelled partly on the European Union, it aims to promote unity, peace and development, and it has the right to intervene in member states in cases of genocide and crimes against humanity. It now has fifty-five member states.
Before and after
- 23 August 1999Release of Blogger
- from 26 August 1999 to 16 April 2009Second Chechen War
- 31 August 1999Construction of Petronas Towers
- 7 September 1999Discovery of 118401 LINEAR
- 9 September 1999Founding of African Union
- from 22 September 1999 to 14 May 2006Premiere of The West Wing
- 26 September 1999Founding of G20
- 6 October 1999Discovery of Callirrhoe
- 5 November 1999Discovery of HD 209458 b
More in Society, economy & sport
- 16 November 1945Founding of UNESCO
- 7 April 1948Founding of World Health Organization
- 4 April 1949Founding of NATO
- 1959HIV/AIDS
- 1 November 1993Founding of European Union
- 2015Rise of Wikipedia Asian Month
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.