Leaders from across Africa gathered on Monday in Durban, South Africa, to bid farewell to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), a much criticised regional body originally formed to usher the continent out of the colonial era. The OAU was formally replaced, amid much fanfare, by the African Union (AU), an already controversial newborn.
In the photo Mohau Pheko, right, leads protesters near the Durban Convention Centre. A cornerstone of the AU, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) was dreamed up by Africa's presidents and sold to Western powers without consulting the continent's people, critics say. Central to NEPAD is the promotion of international trade, which historically has reinforced poverty and underdevelopment in Africa (photo: AP)