On September 9.1999, the heads of state and government of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) issued a Declaration (the Sirte Declaration) calling for the establishment of the African Union. The aim was then and largely remains accelerating the process of integration in the continent to enable it to play its rightful role in the global economy while addressing multifaceted social, economic and political issues affecting the continent.

» AU Partnerships: Between 2004 and 2008, the AU developed a number of ground breaking partnerships with the rest of the world aimed at enhancing cooperation and consolidating growth of the continent: PDF

COI is an intergovernmental organization created in 1982 in Port Louis, Mauritius, and institutionalized in 1984 by the Victoria Agreement in the Seychelles. It brings together five countries in the Indian Ocean region: Union of the Comoros, France / Reunion, Madagascar, Mauritius, and the Seychelles. The organization provides a framework for member states to conduct external collective actions of integration and cooperation with the Eastern and Southern African regions, the African Union (AU), and the rest of the world, as well as multilateral institutions and various donors.

» Private Sector Support: Recognizing the crucial role played by the private sector in a changing world to promote growth and accelerate regional integration, the IOC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Indian Ocean Islands (UCCIOI) in 2007.

COMESA, as defined by its Treaty, was established 'as an organisation of free independent sovereign states which have agreed to co-operate in developing their natural and human resources for the good of all their people' and as such it has a wide-ranging series of objectives which necessarily include in its priorities the promotion of peace and security in the region. The history of COMESA began in December 1994 when it was formed to replace the former Preferential Trade Area (PTA) which had existed from the earlier days of 1981.

» COMESA Peace and Security Mandate: The COMESA Authority mandated Ministers of Foreign Affairs to meet at least once in a year to discuss modalities for addressing peace and security and to also monitor and advice the Authority on promotion of peace, security and stability.

EAC is the regional intergovernmental organisation of the Republics of Kenya, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania, with its headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania. The Treaty for Establishment of the East African Community was signed on 30 November 1999 and entered into force on July 7, 2000. EAC's mission is to widen and deepen Economic, Political, Social and Culture integration in order to improve the quality of life of the people of East Africa through increased competitiveness, value added production, trade and investments.

» EAC Peace and Security: As the negotiations for the EAC Common Market progresses, strategies on the control of cross border crime and ensure security of persons and goods as they move within the region are continually being developed.

ECCAS was established on October 18, 1983 by the members of the Central African Customs and Economic Union ( UDEAC: Cameroon, Gabon, the Central African Republic, Congo, Chad, and Equatorial Guinea) and the members of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes States (CEPGL: Burundi, Rwanda and the then Zaire) as well as Sao Tomé and Principe. Angola became a full member in 1999. ECCAS aims to achieve collective autonomy, raise the standard of living of its populations and maintain economic stability through harmonious cooperation. ECCAS has overlapping membership with the Central African Monetary Union (CEMAC: Chad, CAR, Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome et Principe). On January 24, 2003, the European Union concluded a financial agreement with ECCAS and CEMAC, conditional on ECCAS and CEMAC merging into one organization, with ECCAS taking responsibility for the peace and security of the subregion.

ECOWAS is a regional group of sixteen countries, first founded in 1975. Its mission is to promote economic integration in "all fields of economic activity, particularly industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, natural resources, commerce, monetary and financial questions, social and cultural matters". The ECOWAS declaration of political principles that was made in 1991 commits all members states to democracy and the rule of law —ECOMOG was ECOWAS's peace monitoring force.

» ECOWAS Caritime Security: Code of Conduct Maritime Security: PDF

Les objectifs de l'UEMOA: renforcer la compétitivité des activités économiques et financières des États membres dans le cadre d’un marché ouvert et concurrentiel et d’un environnement juridique rationalisé et harmonisé (Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinée Bissau, Mali, Niger, Sénégal, Togo).

NEPAD, an African Union strategic framework for pan-African socio-economic development, is both a vision and a policy framework for Africa in the twenty-first century. NEPAD is a radically new intervention, spearheaded by African leaders, to address critical challenges facing the continent: poverty, development and Africa's marginalisation internationally.

» NEPAD Partnerships: Development, coordination and sustaining the networks of relationships and partnerships at national, regional, continental and global levels in support of the implementation of the NEPAD Program.

SADC was formed in Lusaka, Zambia on April 1, 1980, following the adoption of the Lusaka Declaration - Southern Africa: Towards Economic Liberation. The transformation of the organization from a Coordinating Conference into a Development Community (SADC) took place on August 17, 1992 in Windhoek, Namibia when the Declaration and Treaty was signed at the Summit of Heads of State and Government thereby giving the organization a legal character. The organization's 15 member states are Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

» SADC Politics, Defense, and Security: In order to achieve a shared future and its commitments to international charters and protocols, SADC Heads of State and Government established the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation in June 1996.

Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC-PF)

The SADC Parliamentary Forum is a regional organisation that brings together 14 parliaments of the southern Africa region and represents 1800 Members of Parliament. Among the Forum's critical issues of concern in the 21st century is the support of the growing democracy in the region. The forum is motivated by the fact that for many years, the peoples of the region have fought and struggled for democracy and human rights, against forces, institutions and socio-economic and political bodies that limited or completely deprived them of democracy, human rights, and civil liberties.

» Standing Committee on HIV and AIDS: tHE Committee aims to strengthen the role Members of Parliament in the fight against HIV and AIDS.