Connell: The African Union is at a crucial moment in its development as a political force

“I stand before you as a proud American, I also stand before you as the son of an African,” he said.

Obama spoke about democracy and warned African leaders that “nobody should be president for life.” That’s a sore point in a number of African nations, where leaders in their 80s and 90s continue to hold power.

The African Union may be the only body in a position to influence those leaders. The African Union was established in 2001 to replace a dysfunctional organization known as The Organization of African Unity. The body focuses in continent-wide human rights, conflict resolution and economic development, says Don Connell, a visiting scholar at Boston University’s African Studies Center.

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