ACHIEVEMENTS OF OAU

Achievements of OAU

1. It offered solutions to border disputes between member states like Kenya vs. Somalia, Ethiopia vs. Somalia, Libya vs. Chad, morocco vs. Algeria, Chad vs. Nigeria, and the Rwanda –Burundi conflict.
2. The OAU achieved total liberation of African countries, with South Africa being the last one. It offered military support to the nationalistic struggles in Mozambique, Angola, Rhodesia, Namibia, and South Africa.
3. It condemned human rights violations in countries like Namibia and South Africa. It encouraged economic sanctions against the apartheid regime of South Africa.
4. Through the OAU, African governments were able to speak with one voice on matters affecting Africa and they even attempted to formulate a common foreign policy.
5. It provided a forum for discussing Africa’s common problems like desertification, foreign interference, and dependency and at the same time seeking solutions to the problems.
6. The organization embarked on common economic ventures for Africa. For example creation of the African Development Bank (ADB) represented the collective contribution by all Africans toward the emancipation of Africans from economic backwardness.
7. It encouraged the construction of roads and railways to link different regions. E.g. Tanzam, the Great North Road, and the Trans-African Highway. This improved economic cooperation between member states.
8. It created a cultural identity for African country’s sports and the All-African Games, which provided Africans with the opportunity to meet and socialize.
9. Through its refugee agency, it addressed itself to the refugee problem in the continent. E.g. refugees from countries like Rwanda, Burundi, Chad, Gambia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Somalia have been assisted.
10. It was instrumental in the formation of regional organizations like ECOWAS, SADC, and COMESA.