２００２年７月９日１２时，非盟首任主席、南非总统姆贝基面对非洲各国领导人和近万名当地群众宣布，“我们今天聚集这里在完成一项庄严的历史使命———成立非洲联盟。”非洲联盟的正式成立标志着非洲在联合自强，实现政治、经济一体化道路上迈出了重要的一步。非洲联盟是在 At 1200 hours on July 9, 2002, the first president of the African Union and President Mbeki of South Africa announced at the meeting the leaders of African countries and nearly 10,000 local people that “we are gathered here today to complete a solemn historic mission --- The establishment of the African Union. ”The formal establishment of the African Union marks an important step for Africa in its road to unity and self-improvement and political and economic integration. The African Union is here