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The African Union is established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The first chairman is Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa.

The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa.

The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the African Union. The bloc was launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa. The intention of the AU was to replace the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa by 32 signatory governments; the OAU was disbanded on 9 July 2002. The most important decisions of the AU are made by the Assembly of the African Union, a semi-annual meeting of the heads of state and government of its member states.

The AU's secretariat, the African Union Commission, is based in Addis Ababa.

Historical Significance

The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa.

Key People

Thabo Mbeki

– present

Events Before

  1. Angourie Rice is born

    Angourie Rice, Australian actress, known for australian actress, was born on 2001-01-01. Angourie Isabel Teresa Rice is an Australian actress.

  2. Washington Wizards forward Michael Jordan becomes the fourth player in NBA history to score 30,000 career points when he

    Washington Wizards forward Michael Jordan becomes the fourth player in NBA history to score 30,000 career points when he hits a free throw in the second quarter of an 89-83 win against his old team, the Chicago Bulls

  3. Wikipedia, a free Wiki or content encyclopedia, is launched by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger

    Lawrence Mark Sanger is an American Internet project developer and philosopher who co-founded Wikipedia, along with Jimmy Wales.

  4. Tennis star Boris Becker (34) divorces designer Barbara Feltus (35) after 8 years of marriage

    Tennis star Boris Becker (34) divorces designer Barbara Feltus (35) after 8 years of marriage

  5. MLB outfielder David Justice (34) weds model Rebecca Villalobos

    MLB outfielder David Justice (34) weds model Rebecca Villalobos

Events After

  1. Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts aboard.

    On Saturday, February 1, 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated as it re-entered the atmosphere over Texas and Louisiana, killing all seven astronauts on board.

  2. An estimated 6-11 million people around the world take to the streets to protest against war with Iraq

    Beginning in late 2002 and continuing after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, large-scale protests against the Iraq War were held in many cities worldwide, often coordinated to occur simultaneously around…

  3. Bill Maher's political talk show "Real Time with Bill Maher" debuts on HBO

    Real Time with Bill Maher is an American television talk show created, written and presented by Bill Maher, and has been airing on HBO since 2003, with an audio-only podcast, with episodes at least…

  4. Actor Paul Rudd (33) weds publicist Julie Yaeger

    Actor Paul Rudd (33) weds publicist Julie Yaeger

  5. The journal Nature reports that 350,000-year-old footprints of an upright-walking human have been found in Italy

    The journal Nature reports that 350,000-year-old footprints of an upright-walking human have been found in Italy

More from the 2000s

birth

Angourie Rice is born

Angourie Rice, Australian actress, known for australian actress, was born on 2001-01-01. Angourie Isabel Teresa Rice is an Australian actress.

death

Shirley Chisholm dies

Shirley Chisholm politician, known for american politician, died on 2005-01-01. Shirley Anita Chisholm ( CHIZ-əm; née St.

Gisborne, New Zealand, with a population of approximately 32,754, is the first city in the world to welcome the new Mill

Gisborne, New Zealand, with a population of approximately 32,754, is the first city in the world to welcome the new Millennium

Euro banknotes and coins become legal tender in twelve of the European Union's member states

There are eight denominations of euro coins, ranging from one cent to two euro (the euro is divided into a hundred cents). The coins first came into use in 2002.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on July 9, 2002?
The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The AU was announced in the Sirte Declaration in Sirte, Libya, on 9 September 1999, calling for the establishment of the African Union. The bloc was launched on 9 July 2002 in Durban, South Africa.
Why is The African Union is established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The first chairman... significant?
The African Union (AU) is a continental union of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa.
Who was involved in The African Union is established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The first chairman...?
Key figures include Thabo Mbeki.

Explore More

July 9 in HistoryYear 2002