Model African Union
AFS 4905
- Office: 435 Grinter Hall
- Semester: Spring 2008
- Office hours: Tuesday 10 a.m. - 12 noon or by appointment
- Tel. 392-2183 - Professor: Dr. Agnes Ngoma Leslie
- Email: aleslie@africa.ufl.edu
Course Objective
This is a special course which examines the unity and collaboration of African countries. The Model African Union is essentially a simulation of the proceedings of the continental African Union. The objective of the course is to prepare students who will take part in the Model African Union in Washington D.C. The Model African Union replaced the former Model O.A.U. which was hosted by Howard University in Washington D.C. for 23 years. This year the assembly will be held from February 28 - March 2, 2008.
The Model A.U. is a unique extension of the classroom for university and college students. Students study the role, organization, and performance of the A.U. through simulation augmented by briefings at African embassies in Washington D.C. It also highlights key economic, social and political-security issues facing the African continent. Features of the Model A.U. include meetings of the technical committee on economic matters, social matters, African human committee, and peace and security committee. Each student delegation is briefed by the embassy of the country it is representing in Washington D.C.
Students are expected to become knowledgeable about:
- The role and the operations of the A.U;
- The country that they will represent at the assembly.
- Each student is expected to become an expert in the commission that she/he is assigned. This year, students at the University of Florida will represent the countries of Sudan and Mauritius.
- Students should become knowledgeable about major developments taking place in Africa.
- Students will conduct research, including on-line research to familiarize themselves with current events in Africa.
Course Outline
This is an engaging and participatory course. Students are expected to be resourceful and conduct their own research. Students are advised to read as widely as possible, including materials on the internet.
Assignments
Each student will be expected to study and research the countries of Sudan and Mauritius in depth. Students will study and make a class presentation on one of the following commissions:
A. EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
- The Executive Council shall act as the Ministerial Committee established by the Heads of state and Government in Accra, Ghana on July 3rd, 2007 to examine issues related to the formation of a Union Government for Africa.
B. TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC MATTERS
- Water and Agricultural Development.
- Position of the African Union on U.N. Millennium Development Goals to achieve sustainable development in Africa;
- G8 Debt Relief: Consequences for Africa
- Energy and Development
- Multilateral Trade Negotiations (e.g. Market Access; Commodity Prices, Africa and WTO Negotiations; the Cairo roadmap; Africa Growth and opportunity Act; African-Asian Strategic Partnership; Intra-African Trade).
- Food and Security and Sustainable Development.
C. TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL MATTERS
- African Union strategy for combating HIV/AIDS: A Strategic Plan for Africa
- Gender Equality
- Situation of Refugees, Displaced Persons and Returnees
- Education for Human Development
- Information and Technology: A Strategic Plan for Africa
D. AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE
- Situation of Human Rights in Sudan
- Merger of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Court of Justice of the African Union.
- The Rights of women in Africa
- The Rights of children in Africa
E. PEACE AND SECURITY COMMITTEE
- African Standby Force
- Conflict Management and Resolution in:
a. Sudan - Darfur
b. Cote D’Ivoire
c. Somalia
3. Western Sahara
F. ASSEMBLY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
- Debate and Adopt Final Resolutions
- All presentations will be typed and copies will be distributed
to the other students. Students will be expected to participate
in the class discussions.
- Reading materials will be placed on the webct. Students will be responsible for printing and bringing to class the week’s readings.
- Students will study the Robert’s Rule or Order, Revised and will adopt these parliamentary rules during the class discussions and throughout the Model in Washington D.C.
- Each student will write a resolution which relates to actual events in Africa. Guidelines for writing resolutions are given in the delegation's manual.
- Term paper. Topic to be given and discussed.
Class Meetings
We will meet once a week on –Mondays -- from –2 - 5 P.M.
- Jan. 7
Introduction. A.U. Model objectives, Constitutive Act. - Jan. 14
Sudan and Mauritius – Political situation (EXECUTIVE COUNCIL)
ii) Economic situation of Sudan and Mauritius – COMESA (TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC MATTERS). - Jan. 21 (No school – MLK
observation)
Make-up class to be discussed. Social issues - Education, health, social/cultural issues etc. related to Sudan and Mauritius (TECHNICAL COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL MATTERS). - January 28
Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution. Focus: a) Sudan, b) Cote D’Ivoire and c) Somalia (PEACE AND SECURITY COMMITTEE). - February 4
Quiz – Map, Sudan, Mauritius. Guidelines for resolution writing, rules of procedure, diplomatic conduct. - February 11
Presentation of resolutions, corrections, rules of procedure. - February 18
Presentation of resolutions, corrections, rules of procedure. - February 25
Resolutions. Parliamentary rules of procedure - February 27
Leave for Washington D.C. - March 28 - 2
A.U. Model, Washington D.C.
Students will select the head of state for their delegation. - March 9-14
Spring Break. - March 17
Review of Model, Discussion of term papers, abstracts - March 24
Abstracts of term paper due – discussion in class. - March 31
Final paper abstract and outline due. - Term paper due Wednesday, April 23.
Grading
- 15 %: Quiz
- 20 %: Resolution Writing
- 15 %: Class Participation
- 50 %: Term Paper
Students are expected to attend all classes in order to prepare effectively for the Model in Washington D.C. 5 points will be deducted for each unexcused absence.
References
- The African Constitutive Act
- Oyejide, Ademola. Regional Integration and Trade Liberalization in sub-Saharan Africa. New York: St Martin's Press, 1997.
- Yassin El-Ayouty. The Organization of African Unity After Thirty Years. Praeger. Connecticut. 1994. (Part I, II and IV).
- Haarlov, Jens. Regional Cooperation and Integration Within Industry and Trade in Southern Africa: General Approaches, SADCC, and the World Bank. Hants, England: Aldershot.
- Timothy, Murithi. The African Union : Pan-Africanism, peacebuilding and development. Hampshire, England ; Burlington, VT : Ashgate, 2005.
- Gino J. Naldi. The Organization of African Unity: An Analysis of its Role. Mansell. London. 1989. (Chapters 1, 4, 5 and 6)
- Attah-Poku. African Ethnicity: History, Conflict Management, Resolution, and Prevention. Lanham, Md: University press of America.1998.
- Harry, West. Conflict and its Resolution in Contemporary Africa. Lanham, Md: University Press of America. 1997.
