Cooperation with the AU and Regional Economic Communities

The African Union (AU) was founded in 2002 with the objective of advancing the development of the African continent through integration. The AU and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) stand for unity and solidarity and for finding African solutions for Africa's problems.

On behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GTZ supports both the AU and the RECs. During the restructuring of BMZ's Africa policy, cooperation with the AU and the RECs has concentrated on three priority areas since 2004:

Governance reform processes– Support for the administrative, technical and financial capacities of RECs to ensure they can adequately fulfil their mandates;

Peace and security – Projects to support the peace and security infrastructure in Africa by providing technical support in civil peacekeeping, early warning for crises and mediation as well as by advising on the organisation and management of the African Union, relevant RECs and regional peacekeeping training centres;

Transboundary water management – Promotion of river basin commissions to prevent conflicts over water and support for the joint, sustainable use of bodies of water by countries sharing a water border.

GTZ supports the activities of the following regional organisations in Africa:

• The African Union (AU)
• The Southern African Development Community (SADC)
• The East African Community (EAC)
• The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
• The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
• The Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC).

Programme description

• Cooperation with Pan-African Institutions in South Africa
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