African Union (AU) Leadership in Africa during COVID-19: Was it quiet or loud?

Abstract

This paper investigates the quietness or loudness of the African Union (AU) since the outbreak of COVID-19, in combating the pandemic through its “unified spirit”. It gauges the efficacy of initiatives and other formations that were tasked to probe and give feedback on how to contain the spread of the pandemic. The paper strongly holds that in the fight against the pandemic, power inequality was at play, which subjected and channelled the role of the African Union throughout the outbreak of the pandemic to this date. Thus, compromising ONE African's strong voice concerning the COVID-19 catastrophic situation in Africa. The paper also taps into the power asymmetric relations that played in WHO, which subjected the African Union and other low-income countries to a further marginalized position, that prevented them from being able to independently fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, disunity and lack of proper strong principled, and resourced initiatives further weakens the African Union in combating the pandemic. From this premise, the paper will investigate how AU approached the onslaught of COVID-17 in Africa using journals, newspapers, bulletins as well as media to ascertain the quietness or loudness of the African Union since the inception of COVID 19 in 2019. From those findings, the paper will highlight why unity in Africa cannot be realized in the foreseeable future. Then come with a contribution that can assist AU to be united and participate in the International arena.