Kenyan President William Ruto calls the African Union “not fit for purpose,” urging sweeping reforms as Africa faces coups, security threats, and rising geopolitical tensions.
NAIROBI, KENYA – Kenyan President William Ruto has issued a stark warning about the future of Africa’s premier multilateral body, declaring that the African Union (AU) in its current form is “not fit for purpose” and must undergo urgent structural reforms to meet the continent’s evolving challenges.
Speaking at the Mashariki Cooperation Conference in Kenya’s coastal region, Ruto said African heads of state had mandated him to spearhead a comprehensive review of the AU’s institutions and governance architecture—an acknowledgment of deepening concerns over the organization’s effectiveness.
“My colleagues, heads of state, gave me the assignment to work on the reform of the African Union institutions and organs to make them fit for purpose for a time such as this,” Ruto said.
“I can tell you without an iota of doubt that the African Union, as it is today, is not fit to provide the leadership that this continent needs going into the future.”
A widening gap between ambition and capacity
Ruto’s remarks reflect growing unease among African leaders over what many view as a mismatch between the continent’s rising geopolitical and economic importance and the AU’s institutional capacity to respond effectively.
He emphasized that Africa is entering a decisive period, with its population projected to account for nearly a quarter of the global total in coming decades. While this demographic surge presents significant economic opportunities, Ruto warned that weak coordination and institutional inertia could transform it into a destabilizing force.
“There is a need for reform of the African Union,” he said, urging intelligence chiefs to play a central role in designing a more agile and responsive organization.
“I am asking you as intelligence leaders to assist us in figuring out what kind of African Union we need—one that can unlock the potential that exists in our continent.”
The Kenyan leader pointed to Africa’s vast natural resources, youthful population, and expanding markets as strategic advantages that remain underutilized due to slow decision-making processes and fragmented policy implementation at the continental level.
“As we march into the future and become the single largest market, we must take advantage of that position,” Ruto said. “Otherwise, it can pose a major risk for us.”
Mounting criticism over governance and security failures
Ruto’s blunt assessment comes amid intensifying scrutiny of the AU’s ability to manage a series of overlapping crises, including democratic backsliding, military coups, and worsening insecurity across multiple regions.
In West Africa, a wave of military takeovers—including the 2020 Malian coup d’état and the 2023 Nigerien coup d’état—has exposed limitations in the AU’s enforcement mechanisms. In several cases, transitional military governments have consolidated power despite formal AU opposition.
Leaders such as Ibrahim Traoré have openly questioned the viability of democratic governance models in their countries, reflecting a broader ideological shift that complicates the AU’s mandate to promote constitutional order.
At the same time, elections in countries including Cameroon, Uganda, and Djibouti have drawn criticism for failing to meet international democratic standards, further eroding confidence in continental oversight mechanisms.
Security challenges have also intensified, particularly in the Sahel region, where militant groups linked to global jihadist networks continue to expand operations. Despite AU-backed initiatives, efforts to contain these threats have yielded limited success.
One of the most severe crises remains the ongoing conflict in Sudan, where fighting between rival military factions since 2023 has triggered a humanitarian catastrophe and mass displacement. Critics say the AU has struggled to mount an effective diplomatic response capable of ending the conflict.
Internal resistance and calls for modernization
Ruto acknowledged that efforts to reform the AU are likely to face internal resistance, even as the need for change becomes increasingly urgent.
“There remains significant resistance within the union to implementing meaningful reforms,” he noted, underscoring the institutional inertia that has historically slowed transformation efforts.
Analysts say the AU’s consensus-driven decision-making model, while designed to preserve unity among member states, often hampers swift responses to crises and limits enforcement of collective decisions.
The debate over reform has intensified as Africa seeks to position itself as a unified economic bloc in a rapidly evolving global order. Initiatives aimed at boosting intra-African trade and integration risk being undermined, experts warn, if continental institutions fail to adapt.
Controversies over leadership and geopolitical alignments
Ruto’s remarks come at a time of heightened political sensitivity within the AU following the election of Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Djibouti’s former foreign minister, as chairperson of the AU Commission. His appointment has sparked debate in some political circles over the direction of the organization and its perceived geopolitical alignments.
Critics in parts of the Horn of Africa argue that the AU has increasingly reflected the interests of certain member states, including Djibouti and Somalia, particularly on sensitive regional issues.
One such issue is the diplomatic fallout following Israel recognition of Somaliland 2026, announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December. The AU’s response—aligned with Somalia’s position—has been criticized by some observers who argue the organization has not maintained neutrality on contested sovereignty questions.
AU officials have not publicly characterized the organization as aligned with any single member state, maintaining that its positions reflect collective decisions by its member governments.
A defining moment for the continental body
Ruto framed the current period as a pivotal moment that will determine whether the AU can evolve into an effective vehicle for Africa’s ambitions or risk becoming increasingly irrelevant.
“Africa union that we need to be able to unlock the potential that exists in our continent and the opportunities that we have,” he said, “so that as we march into the future… we take advantage of that position—because otherwise it can pose a major risk for us.”
His comments are expected to add momentum to ongoing discussions about restructuring the AU, with proposals likely to focus on institutional efficiency, enforcement capacity, and strategic coherence.
As Africa navigates a complex landscape of demographic expansion, economic opportunity, and security threats, the question raised by Ruto’s remarks remains central: whether the continent’s institutions can keep pace with its ambitions.
