President William Ruto has delivered a blunt assessment of the African Union, declaring the continental body fundamentally incapable of meeting Africa’s future challenges in its current form.
Speaking at the Mashariki Cooperation Conference in Kwale County on Friday, the Kenyan leader told an audience of regional intelligence chiefs that the organisation requires a total overhaul to remain relevant. Ruto, who has been officially mandated by his fellow heads of state to lead the AU’s institutional reform process, argued that the union’s existing structure lacks the agility and vision required for the modern era.
“I can tell you without an iota of doubt that the African Union, as it is today, is not fit for purpose,” President Ruto stated. “It is not fit to provide the leadership that this continent needs going into the future.”
The President’s critique centres on the AU’s perceived inability to capitalise on Africa's rapid demographic growth. With the continent projected to house a quarter of the world’s population by 2050, Ruto warned that institutional inefficiencies, slow decision-making, and internal coordination gaps could turn this potential workforce into a significant liability.
Ruto urged the continent’s security and intelligence leaders to assist in designing a more streamlined framework capable of unlocking Africa's vast natural resources and expanding markets. He emphasised that the reform is not merely administrative but a strategic necessity to position Africa as a unified, influential power on the global stage.
The Kenyan President has long advocated for a more powerful AU executive that can negotiate as a single bloc in forums such as the G20. His recent remarks signal an intensification of his efforts to move the union away from being a purely consultative body and towards becoming a more effective driver of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Despite acknowledging internal resistance to change within the 55-member state union, Ruto maintained that the pressure for reform is inevitable.