About

WHY AGA

The African Governance Architecture (AGA) is inspired by the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU) that expresses the AU’s determination to ‘promote and protect human and people’s rights, consolidate democratic institutions and culture and ensure good governance and the rule of law’. The principle objective is implementation of AU Shared Values and in particular the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).

Mandate of AGA

The African Governance Architecture (AGA) is inspired by the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU) that expresses the AU’s determination to ‘promote and protect human and people’s rights, consolidate democratic institutions and culture and ensure good governance and the rule of law’. This determination is buttressed by related objectives and principles contained in Article 3(g and h) and Article 4(m) of the Act on the promotion, protection and respect for human rights, democratic principles and institutions, and good governance. These ideals are further reinforced by norms, pronouncements, decisions and instruments adopted by the AU in particular the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).

The mandate of AGA stems from the Decision of the 15th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government (AU/Dec.304 (XV) held in July 2010 which recalled the decision adopted by the 16th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the AU and endorsed by the 14th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Union (AU) Heads of State and Government to dedicate the theme of the 16th Ordinary Session of the African Assembly to the Shared Values of the AU, that was held in Addis Ababa in 2011 and provided a mandate for putting in place a ‘Pan-African Architecture on Governance’. In order to give effect to the Assembly decision on the Establishment of the Pan-African Governance Architecture, the African Union Commission (AUC) established AGA as a “platform for dialogue between the various stakeholders” who are mandated to promote good governance and strengthen democracy in Africa, in addition to translating the objectives of the legal and policy pronouncements in the AU Shared Values.

WHAT IS AGA

The AGA is a platform for dialogue between the various stakeholders who are mandated to promote good governance and strengthen democracy in Africa, in addition to translating the objectives of the legal and policy pronouncements in the AU Shared Values. Four interrelated and dynamic components make up the structure of AGA:

  1. Norms and Standards
  2. Institutions and other stakeholders
  3. Mechanisms and processes of interaction
  4. African Governance Facility

Objectives and Principles

Objectives

  1. Accelerate the ratification, domestication, implementation and monitoring of African Shared values instrument
  2. Deepen synergy, coordination, cooperation and harmonisation of shared values instruments among AU organs, institutions and RECs on democracy, governance, human rights and humanitarian affairs.

  3. Enhance the capacity of AU organs, institutions and RECs to support Member States to strengthen governance and consolidate democracy through implementation of shared values agenda

  4. Enhance popular participation and citizen engagement in attainment of democracy, governance and respect for human and peoples’ rights

  5. Coordinate evaluation and reporting on implementation and compliance with AU norms on governance and democracy as envisaged by article 44, 45 and 49 of the ACDEG.

  6. Foster dialogue and share comparable lessons on trends, challenges, opportunities and prospects for improving governance and democracy among Member States

  7. Generate, manage and disseminate knowledge on African shared values agenda, good governance and democracy in Africa.

  8. Facilitate joint engagement and deepen synergy with the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) in strategic interventions: preventive diplomacy, conflict prevention and post-conflict, reconstruction and development in Africa.

Guiding Principles

The following principles are derived from AU Shared Values particularly the Constitutive Act and the African Charter on Elections, Governance and Democracy.

  1. Effective participation of the African peoples in strengthening and consolidating democratic governance in Member States and continental affairs;
  2. Respect for democratic principles, human rights, the rule of law and good governance;
  3. Holding of regular, transparent, free and fair elections;
  4. Promotion of the principle of separation of powers;
  5. Promotion of gender equality and youth empowerment;
  6. Promotion of transparency and fairness in the management of public affairs;
  7. Condemnation and rejection of acts of corruption, related offenses and impunity;
  8. Condemnation and rejection of unconstitutional changes of governments.
  9. Strengthening political pluralism and recognizing the role, rights and responsibilities of legally constituted political parties, including opposition political parties.

The African Governance Facility

The African Governance Facility (APF) is designed as a resource mobilisation framework to support Platform Members’ initiatives and programmes towards the promotion of good governance and consolidation of democracy on the continent. The focus of the Facility includes institutional capacity strengthening and building; dialogues to facilitate citizen engagement in democratic governance processes; technical support to Member States towards the ratification, domestication, implementation and reporting on AU Shared Values instruments; and preventive diplomacy, post conflict reconstruction and peace building initiatives.