The issue of governance in African countries has been highlighted by recent military coups and constitutional manipulation. The African Union (AU) has a mandate to promote governance on the continent, but enforcing the rules is not always consistent. The AU relies on legal and policy documents agreed upon by member states to set normative frameworks around governance. The AU rejects unconstitutional changes of government and can impose sanctions on member states that breach this norm, but such actions are not always taken. To understand the rules shaping AU decisions, and how they are followed, it is important to learn about the most prominent instrument that defines this continental governance agenda, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG). This instrument outlines the main rules that apply to states and their responsibility towards their citizens on political, economic, and social issues related to governance. As the ACDEG turns 15 in early 2022, it is important to understand its role in the African governance agenda, and how civil society organizations can contribute to its realization in practice.
In this guide, you can learn about the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG). ECDPM looks into what it is, how it fits in this controversial but important African governance agenda, and where civil society organisations fit when it comes to the realisation of the ACDEG in practice.