African Union is born

last updated 8 January 2015

Durban, South Africa

African leaders popped the champagne this week to celebrate the birth of their new, E.U.-style political alliance, the African Union. The union replaces the moribund Organization of African Unity—widely seen as a “dictator’s club”—with a new body that aims to promote good governance. But a split between democrats and the continent’s remaining autocrats was already visible. South African President Thabo Mbeki said that African countries must hold free elections and enforce the rule of law if they expect to merit foreign aid. Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, who has never run in an election, promptly undermined the new organization by denouncing “conditions” on Western aid. “We are not beggars,” Qaddafi said.