The African Union's role in promoting democracy and development in Africa: aspirations, challenges, and prospects

Denis Dogah

Chapter 15 in The Elgar Companion to Democracy and Development in Africa, 2026, pp 266-283 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter argues that continental governance initiatives designed to advance democracy and development in Africa have produced mixed results. Electoral democracy in Africa increased between 2002 and 2019 but slowed between 2020 and 2025 due to the resurgence of military coups and democratic backsliding in several African Union (AU) member states. Economic growth has been fragile, despite the AU's interventions to build infrastructure and deepen regional integration on the continent through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The AU's aspirations are constrained by internal and external factors. Many African states are governed by “extractive political institutions” which undermine political accountability and inhibit development. These challenges are compounded by global declines in democracy, economic shocks, rising debt burdens, and foreign support for coups. To build on current gains, the AU must promote “inclusive political institutions”, implement African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) recommendations, extend the African Peace and Security Architecture's (APSA) authority to address coups, boost intra-regional trade, and strengthen global partnerships through the G20.

Keywords: AfCFTA; APRM; African Union; Democracy; Development; Elections (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035348176
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