The African Union two-dimensional solidarity normative agenda: between contestation and cooperation
Abstract
The idea of solidarity is not neither new to Africa nor to African peoples. In fact, it was Obina Okere who once remarked that “African conception of man is not that of an isolated and abstract individual, but an integral member of a group animated by a spirit of solidarity.” International solidarity is widely accepted as an essential value of the international community and a fundamental principle of international law even though there is controversy whether it possesses the binding character that ordinarily defines international legal norms. At its very core, International Solidarity (IS) emphasizes cooperation among states working together to address issues of inequality, injustice, diseases, peace and security, economic, environmental and other common challenges facing mankind in an increasingly interdependent world. The values solidarity espouses are elaborated in major international instruments, including the 1945 UN Charter, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR),5 the Declaration Concerning Friendly Relations;6 the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Territories and Peoples; the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States; the Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order (NIEO) among others.