An Introduction to the African Union Environmental Treaties sheds light on the African Union legal regime related to environmental issues and provides expert analysis of how the African Union has transitioned from the former management of natural resources approach to strategies of preservation and protection. This book explores different areas of the environment, from livestock to plants, fertilizers, minerals and marine environment. Ambassador Namira Negm convincingly demonstrates the extent to which environmental issues are of critical importance to the African Union. Together with insightful commentary, the book provides full treaty texts and is an indispensable resource for all those interested in the African Union and environmental legal regimes.
Namira Negm, Ph.D. (2006) is the Director of the African Migration Observatory and former African Union Legal Counsel and Egyptian Ambassador to Rwanda. She is a seasoned diplomat with academic background. She has published numerous articles and books, including Transfer of Nuclear Technology under International Law (Brill, 2009)
Acknowledgements
Acronyms
Introduction
1The 1967 Phyto-Sanitary Convention for Africa
2African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (1968)
1 Historical Background
2 Basic Features of the Algiers Convention
3 Enforcement Mechanisms
4 Settlement of Disputes
5 Gaps in the Algiers Convention
3The Revised African Convention on the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (2003)
1 Objective, Scope, and Guiding Principles of the Revised Convention
2 Basic Features of the Revised Convention
3 Enforcement and Monitoring Mechanism
4 Settlement of Disputes
5 Gaps in the Revised Convention
4The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (
achpr
) (1963)
1 The Application
2 Examination of Jurisdiction and Admissibility
3 Admissibility
4 Examination and Merits regarding the Allegations of Violation of Article 24 of the Charter
5 Holding
6 Dismissed Cases before the
achpr
5The Convention for the Establishment of the African Centre for Fertilizer Development (1981)
1 Gaps
6The Bamako Convention on the Ban of the Import into Africa and the Control of Trans-boundary movement and Management of Hazardous Wastes within Africa (1991)
1 Historical Background
2 General Status
3 Basic Features of the Bamako Convention
3.1 Import Ban of Hazardous Wastes (Article 4(1))
3.2 Ban on Dumping of Hazardous Wastes at Sea, Internal Waters and Waterways (Article 4(2))
3.3 Measures regarding Waste Generation and Management in Africa (Article 4(3a-e))
3.4 Adoption of Precautionary Measures to Prevent Pollution and Promote Clean Production Methods (Article 4(3f-h))
3.5 Prohibitions and Measures regarding Transport and Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes (Article 4(3-i))
3.6 Obligation regarding the Manner of Trans-boundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes
4 Notifications
4.1 Illegal Trafficking of Hazardous Wastes
4.2 Liability
5 Enforcement and Monitoring Mechanisms
5.1 Obligation to Establish or Designate a Competent Authority as a Focal Point and Dump Watch (Article 5)
5.2 Intra-Africa Cooperation (Article 10)
5.3 Transmission of Information (Article 13)
5.4 Conference of the States Parties (Article 15)
5.5 Settlement of Disputes (Article 20)
6 Criticisms against the Bamako Convention
7Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) (2003)
8The Revised African Maritime Transport Charter (2010)
9The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (1990)
10The African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (2009) (Kampala Convention)
11The African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Pelindaba Treaty) (1996)
12Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (
psc
) (2002)
13The Road Safety Charter (2016)
14The African Charter on Maritime Security and Safety and Development in Africa (Lome Charter) (2016)
1 Basic Features of the Lomé Charter
2 Enforcement and Follow-up Mechanisms
3 Advantages
4 Criticism
15The Agreement for the Establishment of the African Risk Capacity (
arc
) Agency (2012)
1 Other Driving Forces and the Establishment of the
arc
2 Basic Features of the Agreement
3 Status
16The African Charter on the Values and Principles of Decentralization, Local Governance, and Local Development (2014)
17The African Youth Charter (2006)
18The African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance (2007)
19The African Union Convention on Cross-Border Cooperation (Niamey Convention) (2014)
20The Statute of the African Space Agency (2018)
21The Statute of the African Institute for Remittances (
air
) (2018)
22The Regulatory and Institutional Texts for the Implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision and Framework towards the Establishment of a Single African
air
Transport Market (Yamoussoukro Decision) (2017)
23The Statute of the African Observatory for Science, Technology, and Innovation (
aosti
) (2016)
1 Evolution
2 Status and Structure of
aosti
3 Objectives of the
aosti
4 Functions of
aosti
24The Statute of the African Minerals and Development Centre (
amdc
) (2016)
25The Statute of the Pan-African Intellectual Property Organization (
paipo
) (2007)
26The Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (2018)
1 Advantages
27Conclusion and Way Forward
AppendixCompilation of African Union Environmental Law Treaties