African Union: Transparency and Accountability Needed

From The Heritage Foundation:

Budget & Taxation

African Union: Transparency and Accountability Needed

by Brett D. Schaefer, Morgan Lorraine Roach

The Heritage Foundation

March 09, 2012

Since the establishment of the African Union in 2002, the United States has provided millions in taxpayer dollars to support the organization and its activities. Regrettably, the African Union makes it impossible to determine the success of this effort. The African Union does not publish an annual report on its activities, make its budget publicly available, or conduct audits or other independent evaluation of its work or activities. The lack of transparency and accountability in the African Union compares dismally with the practices of other international organizations that receive American funding, which are themselves often criticized for inadequate standards. United States ambivalence toward the African Union’s opacity is at odds with the well-established United States policy of maximizing transparency in international organizations receiving funding. Congress should make contributions to the African Union contingent on the African Union’s immediate adoption of practices to improve transparency and accountability.

URL: thf_media.s3.amazonaws.com/2012/pdf/ib3535.pdf