Africa’s youth view the African Union as a tired club of aging leaders, even as the bloc hosts its annual summit in Ethiopia to shape the future for a continent of roughly 1.4 billion people. Across Africa, the AU’s popularity is slipping as younger generations grow frustrated with unmet expectations.
Established to promote unity and solidarity among African states, analysts say the African Union is facing a legitimacy crisis among young people who feel their interests are not prioritized. Many African nations are grappling with military coups, disputed elections, and protests sparked by hardship—problems intensified by cuts to foreign aid.
Africa is home to the world’s youngest population, with more than 400 million people aged 15 to 35. Paradoxically, the continent also hosts several of the world’s longest-serving leaders, a dynamic that has helped fuel a wave of coups.
With a youth bulge forecast to double by 2050, Africa remains the only rapidly growing region where people are actually getting poorer. In various countries and across social media, young Africans describe the AU as a bloc of elder statesmen, and say the organization treats youth concerns as secondary.
Critics argue the AU has missed chances to be more people-centered and citizen-driven, instead centering itself on governments and leaders, according to Liesl Louw-Vaudran, a senior analyst with the Crisis Group.
“What the youth are asking for—and why people are frustrated—is that this is not an African Union for citizens. It’s not a people-driven African Union,” Louw-Vaudran says.
Elections expose AU gaps
Across several countries, recent elections showcased patterns of sidelined opposition, disputed results, and protests led mainly by young voters after incumbents were reelected. Even when outcomes were clear, the AU was seen as quick to back incumbents and slow to challenge flawed processes.
During Uganda’s January presidential vote, authorities restricted the internet and suppressed opposition. The AU Commission initially praised the poll, then a day later released a preliminary report noting harassment, intimidation, and arrests of opposition figures, candidates, media workers, and civil society actors. A social media response criticizing the AU’s praise—labeling it a”等“dictatorship club” moment—went viral among youths.
A persistent challenge for the AU is the weak enforcement of its resolutions. Macharia Munene, a history professor at USIU in Nairobi, explains this often stems from some member states not paying dues or not fully accepting the decisions reached.
AU Summit amid a shifting global order
The 39th African Union Summit, held in Addis Ababa on a weekend focused on water and sanitation, will explore the continent’s climate response and humanitarian crises in the wake of foreign aid reductions from partners like the United States.
Observers see the summit as a chance to realign regional priorities with international partners, especially in the context of a broader discussion about a “new world order,” spurred by shifts in U.S. leadership and evolving global alliances.
Yet many critics urge the AU to turn inward—address Africa’s most urgent problems and strengthen accountability when leaders fall short.
In Abuja, Nigeria, resident Chima Ekwueme voices a common critique: the AU, he says, seems detached from enforcing accountability amid Nigeria’s security crises and economic hardship, even with vast mineral wealth.
“They’re there for their own interests,” the 32-year-old Ekwueme argues. “In Nigeria, we have everything it takes to fix problems, but look at how difficult things are and where the AU stands.”
