Assembly/AU/8 (X) Page 1 REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL ON THE AUDIT OF THE UNION AND THE MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON THE UNION GOVERNMENT 1. It is recalled that the 9th Ordinary Session of Heads of State and Government, which took place in Accra, Ghana, in July 2007, adopted the Accra Declaration, following the Grand Debate on the Union Government. Among other things, the Heads of State and Government agreed to accelerate the economic and political integration of the continent, including the formation of the Union Government for Africa. This was with a view to providing a clear vision of the future of the African Union. They therefore, resolved to collectively identify and negotiate the differences in perception and opinion in the concept of the Union Government. 2. They accordingly decided to conduct an Audit of the Executive Council, the Commission as well as the other Organs of the African Union, and to establish a Ministerial Committee to examine, among other things, the content of the Union Government concept, its relation with National Governments, and elaboration of the Roadmap together with Timeframes for the establishment of the Union Government. 3. The outcome of the Audit and the work of the Ministerial Committee were to be submitted to the Executive Council to make appropriate recommendations to the Ordinary Session of the Assembly. 4. The 12th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council considered the two Reports. 5. The Report of the Independent High Level Panel for the Audit of the African Union was introduced by Prof. Adebayo Adedeji, Chairman of the Panel. The Chairman made a passionate appeal for concrete and determined effort to move forward the African Union Government project, which was enunciated about fifty (50) years ago. 6. The Chairman informed the Council that the Report contained one hundred and fifty-nine (159) recommendations to galvanize the integration process. Some of these recommendations were non-contentious and could be implemented immediately. Others could be taken up later. 7. The Report outlined eight (8) benchmarks which were crucial to the realization of the African Union Government project. These benchmarks are: i) ii) Revamping the Institutions of the Union; Popularizing and internalizing Africa’s core values;