Jump to navigation

Vol 67 No 4

Published 20th February 2026


The Absentee Union

Two days of speeches in Addis Ababa skirted around harsh realities – the AU’s lack of independent finance and its failure to prevent conflict

As a measure of the dysfunction of the international system, the African Union has a special role, according to the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. ‘In a world filled with division and mistrust, the African Union is a flagship for multilateralism,’ he told the AU’s annual summit on 14 February. Sadly, the accolade fell far short of reality, just as it would if it had been applied to the UN today.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 1820 words.

End of preview

Subscribers: Log in now to read the complete article.

Account Holders: Log in now and use your Account Credit to buy this article. No Credit? Top up your Account now.


If you are logged in, but still cannot access the full text of this article, email customer services or telephone us on +44(0)1638 743633.