The African Union (AU) was born in Durban, South Africa today in a bid to help end poverty, political crises and war on the continent.
The AU replaces the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), created in 1963 as a vehicle for African states to fight the last vestiges of colonialism and to forge solidarity, but which is seen as having outlived its usefulness.
The OAU had as its central tenet a respect for each country's sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs.
It staunchly opposed apartheid, but is now seen as having outlived its usefulness as it stands powerless to stop some 20 conflicts in Africa.
The new AU, modelled on the European Union, will have a peace and security council authorised to send in a stand-by peacekeeping force drawn from African armies in the event of any conflict involving crimes against humanity.
There are also plans for an African parliament, an AU central bank, a pan-African court of justice and an African Economic Community with, eventually, a single currency.
African heads of state held the final summit of the OAU in Durban yesterday.
AFP