The African Union (AU) has committed to a vision of Africa that is 'integrated, prosperous and peaceful - driven by its own citizens, a dynamic force in the global arena' (Vision and Mission of the African Union, May 2004). This guide is an effort to take up the challenge of achieving this vision. It is a tool to assist activists to engage with AU policies and programmes. It describes the AU decision-making process and outlines the roles and responsibilities of the AU institutions. It also contains a sampling of the experiences of those non-governmental organisations (NGOs) that have interacted with the AU.

This report is the first independent, substantive and public assessment of the progress of the African Union. "Towards a People-Driven African Union: Current Obstacles and New Opportunities" analyses the preparations of African Union member-states, the AU Commission and civil society organisations for the twice-yearly AU summits. The main finding is that despite some welcome new opportunities for participation, the African Union's vision of 'an Africa driven by its own citizens' remains largely unfulfilled. Detailed recommendations are offered to help deliver on this vision in future. Published by AFRODAD, AfriMAP and Oxfam, this report is endorsed by more than a dozen other organisations in Africa and elsewhere, and is based on interviews with more than 50 representatives of member-states, the AU Commission and civil society organisations in eleven African countries.