View source for Organization:African and Malagasy Union

{{short description|Organization}}
{{Infobox Organization
|name         = African and Malagasy Union
|native_name  = {{lang-fr|Union Africaine et Malgache}}
|native_name_lang=fr
|image        = File:Flag_of_African_and_Malagasy_Union.svg
|image_border = 
|size         = 
|caption      = Flag
|map          = AfricanMalagasyUnionMembers.png
|msize        = 
|mcaption     = {{legend|red|Founding members|}}{{legend|blue|Members that joined 1965}}{{legend|green|Member that joined 1970}}
|abbreviation = 
|motto        = 
|formation    = 12 September 1961
|dissolved    = 23 March 1985
|type         = [[Social:Intergovernmental organization|Intergovernmental organization]]
|status       = defunct
|purpose      = Various; originally cooperation
|headquarters = [[Place:Brazzaville|Brazzaville]], Republic of the Congo
|location     = 
|region_served =
|membership   = 
|language     = French
|leader_title = Various
|leader_name  = 
|main_organ   = Various
|parent_organization = 
|affiliations = 
|num_staff    = 
|num_volunteers =
|budget       = 
|website      = 
|remarks      =
}}

The '''African and Malagasy Union''' ('''AMU''') ({{lang-fr|'''Union Africaine et Malgache''' ('''UAM''')}}) was an [[Social:Intergovernmental organization|intergovernmental organization]] created to promote cooperation among newly independent states in Francophone Africa. The organization derives its name from the name of the [[Earth:Continent|continent]] of Africa and from the former Malagasy Republic, now {{wipe|Madagascar}}. The organization disbanded in 1985.<ref name="about">{{cite book
  | last = Osmańczyk
  | first = Edmund Jan
  |author2= Anthony Mango
  | title = Encyclopedia of the United Nations and International Agreements
  | publisher = Taylor & Francis
  | year = 2003
  | pages = 34&ndash;35
  | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=aiIOW0LOdKgC&q=%22Malagasy+Union&pg=PA35
  | isbn =978-0-415-93921-8
}}</ref>

==History==
The organization was founded on 12 September 1961 in [[Place:Antananarivo|Antananarivo]] by members of the Brazzaville Group of French-Speaking States developing out of a meeting held in [[Place:Brazzaville|Brazzaville]] in December 1960. Twelve francophone countries agreed to maintain close relationships but also a special relationship with the former colonial power, France. The original aims were both economic and political: to adopt common stands on international issues, to promote economic and culture cooperation, and to maintain a common defense organization. However, this caused a problem: the organization would have to depend on France. The diversity, geography, and post-colonial problems of the different countries kept the organization from ever becoming significant.<ref name="history">{{cite book
  | last = Arnold
  | first = Guy 
  | title = A Guide to African Political & Economic Development
  | publisher = Taylor & Francis
  | year = 2001
  | pages = 94&ndash;95
  | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZjNwf2zsES4C&q=%22Malagasy+Union&pg=PA151
  | isbn =978-1-57958-314-9}}</ref>

In March 1964 the UAM changed its name to the Afro-Malagasy Union for Economic Cooperation (Union Africaine et Malgache de Coopération Économique; UAMCE).<ref name="HronikaBelgrade">Milutin Tomanović (1965) ''Hronika međunarodnih događaja 1964'', Institute of International Politics and Economics, p224 (in Serbo-Croatian)</ref> Moktar Ould Daddah was elected as the president of the organisation while the city of [[Place:Yaoundé|Yaoundé]] was selected as the headquarters seat.<ref name="HronikaBelgrade"/> Subsequently, it confined itself to economic affairs and by 1966 had become inactive.<ref name="UAMCE">{{cite book
  | last = Peaslee
  | first = Amos Jenkins 
  |author2= Dorothy Peaslee Xydis
  | title = International Governmental Organizations: Constitutional Documents
  | publisher = BRILL
  | year = 1974
  | pages = 278
  | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=8U65llhfqSwC&q=%22African+and+Malagasy+Union%22&pg=PA278
  | isbn =978-90-247-1601-2}}</ref>

The African and Malagasy Common Organization (Organization Commune Africaine et Malgache; OCAM) was the successor to the UAMCE. It was set up at [[Place:Nouakchott|Nouakchott]] in February 1965 and comprised the original 12 members of the UAM with the addition of Togo. In May 1965 its membership was increased by the admission of the former [[Place:Belgian colonial empire|Belgian territories]] of Congo (Kinshasa) and [[Biology:Rwanda|Rwanda]]. In June 1965, however, Mauritania withdrew. The remaining 14 then signed the new OCAM charter on 27 June at a meeting in [[Place:Antananarivo|Antananarivo]], {{wipe|Madagascar}}. The aims of the organization were economic, social, technical, and cultural cooperation. OCAM dropped the political and defense objectives that its predecessor, the UAM, had attempted to embrace. It created the structures of an international organization: a Conference of Heads of State and Government, a Council of Ministers, a Secretariat and Secretary-General, and established its headquarters at [[Place:Bangui|Bangui]] in the Central African Republic. It developed a number of joint services and of these the most successful and most well known is the multinational airline Air Afrique. In 1979 the airline was separated from OCAM.

The organization's later history became increasingly troubled. [[Earth:Mauritius|Mauritius]] joined in 1970. Congo (Kinshasa), by then renamed Zaire, withdrew in 1972; Congo (Brazzaville) in 1973; Cameroon, Chad and Madagascar in 1974; Gabon in 1977. However, some of these countries retained their links with OCAM's various agencies. In 1982 OCAM held a summit at [[Place:Abidjan|Abidjan]], Côte d'Ivoire; it had then changed its name, though only to substitute Mauritius for Madagascar, to Organization Commune Africaine et Mauricienne. OCAM, also, has ceased to operate.<ref name="history" /> The organization officially became extinct in 1985.<ref name="about" />

==Member states==
Founding members:
*{{flag|Chad}}  (withdrew 1974)
*{{flag|Cameroon}} (withdrew 1974)
*{{flag|Republic of the Congo}} (withdrew 1973)
*{{flag|Dahomey}} (later {{flag|Benin}})
*{{flag|Gabon}} (withdrew 1977)
*{{flag|Upper Volta}} (later {{flag|Burkina Faso}})
*{{flag|Mauritania}} (withdrew 1965)
*{{flag|Niger}}
*{{flagicon|MAD}} Malagasy Republic (later {{wipe|Madagascar}}) (withdrew 1974)
*{{flag|Central African Republic}}
*{{flag|Senegal}}
*{{flag|Côte d'Ivoire}}

Joined February 1965:
*{{flag|Togo}}

Joined May 1965:
*{{flag|Zaire }} (later {{flag|Democratic Republic of the Congo}}) (withdrew 1972)
*{{flag|Rwanda}}

Joined 1970:
*{{flag|Mauritius}}

==References==
{{reflist}}


[[Category:International economic organizations]]

{{Sourceattribution|African and Malagasy Union}}