The Organs of the AU are:
-The Assembly composed of Heads of State and Government or their duly accredited representatives ;
-The Executive Council composed of Ministers or Authorities designated by the Governments of Member States ;
-The Commission ; -Peace and Security Council (PSC) ;
-Pan-African Parliament composed of five (5) representatives from each Member State having ratified the Constitution ; -The Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC), an advisory organ composed of different social and professional groups of the Member States of the Union ;
-The Court of Justice ;
-The Financial Institutions (The African Central bank, The African Monetary Fund, The African Investment Bank) ;
-The Specialized Technical Committees, as The Committee on Rural Economy and Agricultural Matters ;
-The Committee on Monetary and Financial Affairs ; The Committee on Education, Culture and Human Resources, among others.
The Commission is the key organ playing a central role in the day-to-day management of the African Union. The Commission represents the Union and defends its interests; elaborates draft common positions of the Union; and prepares strategic plans and studies for the consideration of the Executive Council. It also ensures the development, the promotion, the coordination and the harmonization of programs and policies of the Union with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and ensures gender mainstreaming in all programs and activities of the Union.
Composed of a President, a Vice-President, eight (8) Commissioners and staff, the African Union Commission is one of the most important organs of the Union. It is responsible for the management of eight departments:
Peace and Security (Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, and Combating Terrorism...), Political Affairs (Human Rights, Democracy, Good Governance, Electoral Institutions, Civil Society Organizations, Humanitarian Affairs, Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons), Infrastructure and Energy (Energy, Transport, Communications, Infrastructure and Tourism.), Social Affairs (Health, Children, Drug Control, Population, Migration, Labour and Employment, Sports and Culture.), Human Resources, Sciences and Technology (Education, Information and Communication Technology, Youth, Human Resources, Science and Technology.), Trade and Industry (Trade, Industry, Customs and Immigration Matters.), Rural Economy and Agriculture (Rural Economy, Agriculture and Food Security, Livestock, Environment, Water, Natural Resources and Desertification.), Economic Affairs (Economic Integration, Monetary Affairs, Private Sector Development, Investment and Resource Mobilization.).
The headquarters of the AU which houses the Commission is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
For more information, please visit the website of the AU: www.africa-union.org