African Union governance faces implementation gap, warns AUABC Chair

Edem Senanu, Chairperson of the African Union Advisory Board Against Corruption (AUABC), has highlighted a significant implementation gap within the African Union’s governance and anti-corruption frameworks. Speaking at the 12th Students and Young Professionals African Liberty Academy (SYPALA) in Accra, Senanu noted that while the AU has successfully ‘Africanised’ the governance agenda and established institutions like the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a persistent accountability deficit continues to undermine public trust.

Senanu cautioned that anti-corruption efforts remain ineffective without strict enforcement and visible consequences for violations. He argued that the continent’s progress should be measured by tangible results rather than the number of treaties signed or institutions created. He identified several critical weaknesses, including the fact that peer reviews are often constrained by voluntarism and diplomacy, and that continental outcomes remain poor due to the difficulty of translating commitments into action by member states.