African Union Member States: All 55 Countries and Regional Blocs

The African Union (AU) brings together 55 member states, making it the largest regional organisation on the continent. For administrative, political and economic purposes, these countries are grouped into five geographic regions.

Beyond geography, AU member states also participate in one or more Regional Economic Communities (RECs), the treaty-based blocs that serve as the building blocks of Africa's integration agenda. The AU officially recognises eight of these communities.

This explainer lists every AU member state by region, clarifies the borderline cases, and breaks down the eight RECs and why they matter for trade, security and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The five African Union regions

The AU organises its membership into North, West, Central, East and Southern Africa. Each country is listed below under its primary AU region.

North Africa (7)

• Algeria
• Egypt
• Libya
• Mauritania
• Morocco
• Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
• Tunisia

West Africa (15)

• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Cabo Verde
• Côte d'Ivoire
• The Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Liberia
• Mali
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Togo

Central Africa (8)

• Cameroon
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• Republic of the Congo
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Equatorial Guinea
• Gabon
• São Tomé and Príncipe

East Africa (15)

• Burundi
• Comoros
• Djibouti
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Mauritius
• Rwanda
• Seychelles
• Somalia
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Tanzania
• Uganda

Southern Africa (10)

• Angola
• Botswana
• Eswatini
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• South Africa
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Key notes on the classifications

Total African Union membership stands at 55 states. A few cases are worth clarifying, because geography and institutional membership do not always line up neatly.

Chad is geographically situated between West and Central Africa. While it is often associated with both regions, the African Union generally classifies it as part of Central Africa.

Angola is geographically located in Southern Africa but also participates in several Central African institutions. The AU primarily recognises Angola as part of Southern Africa.

The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (Western Sahara) is a full member of the African Union even though it is not a member of the United Nations, which is why some lists of African countries show 54 states rather than 55.

The eight Regional Economic Communities

The African Union officially recognises eight Regional Economic Communities as the foundation of continental economic integration.

REC	Full name	Primary region
AMU (UMA)	Arab Maghreb Union	North Africa
ECOWAS	Economic Community of West African States	West Africa
ECCAS	Economic Community of Central African States	Central Africa
EAC	East African Community	East Africa
IGAD	Intergovernmental Authority on Development	Horn of Africa / East Africa
COMESA	Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa	Eastern and Southern Africa
SADC	Southern African Development Community	Southern Africa
CEN-SAD	Community of Sahel-Saharan States	Sahel and North, West and Central Africa

Why RECs matter

Regional Economic Communities promote:

• Free trade and economic integration
• Infrastructure development
• Peace and security cooperation
• Free movement of people and goods
• Industrialisation and sustainable development
• Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Because many countries belong to more than one REC, these organisations complement one another in advancing the African Union's vision of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa.

Frequently asked questions

How many member states does the African Union have?

The African Union has 55 member states, grouped into five geographic regions: North, West, Central, East and Southern Africa. The total includes the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which is an AU member but not a member of the United Nations.

Which eight Regional Economic Communities does the AU recognise?

The AU officially recognises AMU (the Arab Maghreb Union), ECOWAS, ECCAS, the EAC, IGAD, COMESA, SADC and CEN-SAD as the building blocks of continental economic integration.

Why are some countries associated with more than one region or bloc?

Geography and institutional membership often overlap. Chad sits between West and Central Africa but is generally classified by the AU as Central African, while Angola lies in Southern Africa yet participates in several Central African institutions. Many countries also hold membership in two or more RECs at the same time.

How do the RECs relate to the AfCFTA?

The RECs serve as the building blocks for implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area. They harmonise trade rules, infrastructure projects and free movement arrangements within their regions, laying the groundwork for a single continental market.