Accelerating a Smart-mix Regulatory Approach: Why the African Union Must Urgently Pursue its Business and Human Rights Agenda
Since the UN Human Rights Council adopted the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) in 2011, various regional regulatory initiatives have emerged. Ranging from National Action Plans (NAPs) to mandatory human rights due diligence (mHRDD) legislation, Europe has led the way in turning the UNGPs policy blueprint into action. This blog examines where Africa, as a region, stands amid these regulatory developments. It asks what role the African Union (AU) is playing in implementing the UNGPs. It argues that the AU has been slow in pursuing initiatives that shape BHR discourse. Although it has introduced some initiatives, the AU has not pursued them with the vigor needed in an increasingly complex governance space. As global geopolitical rivalries and the rush for critical minerals continue to make African states primary destinations for foreign direct investment, this essay calls for an urgent, unified continental framework that protects African Peoples from corporate abuse.