Reflecting on 25 years of the African Union Constitutive Act

Drafting history, legal philosophy and broad objects of the renewal of Africa’s continental body

Abstract

This reflection by Hajer Gueldich, delivered during Kabarak University Press’ International Law Month, 2025, revisits the African Union Constitutive Act 25 years after its adoption. It traces the hopes and contradictions that have shaped the AU’s legal and institutional journey since Lomé. The Constitutive Act is presented not simply as a treaty, but as a bold statement of Africa’s determination to imagine a different future, one grounded in non-indifference to atrocities, a commitment to democratic governance, and an integrated approach to peace and development. Gueldich reflects on the Act’s unique innovations. More so, its influence on global legal norms, and the ways Africa has defined its own place in international law through instruments such as the African Charter on Democracy and the AU Transitional Justice Policy. At the same time, she acknowledges the difficult realities of coups, insecurity, and weakened political will that threaten this vision. The reflection ends with a call to action – that the AU’s renewal must be shared with citizens and the wider pan-African community if the promise of a peaceful, just, and people-driven Africa is to be realised.