This work offers a comprehensive examination of the work of the African Union (AU), with special emphasis on its capacity to meet the challenges of building and sustaining governance institutions and security mechanisms. Samual Makinda and F. Wafula Okumu show how Africa and, in particular, the AU can effectively address the challenges of building and sustaining governance institutions and security mechanisms only if they have strategic leadership. They also analyze current debates on, and criticisms of, leadership in Africa and examines key options for overcoming the constraints that African leaders face. Core topics covered include: the colonial policies of the European powers; the emergence of Pan-Africanism; the creation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1963; the evolution of the OAU into the AU in 2002; and the AU's capacity to address poverty alleviation, conflict management and resolution, peace-building and humanitarian intervention. Debates on democratization, respect for the rule of law, political stability and related issues such as gender equality and environmental management, and how the AU might shape the continent's future directions are also closely examined. As governance and security in Africa have been internationalized and the AU is heavily dependent on the international community to fund its activities and construct its institutions, Makinda and Okumu explore the types of capacity building that Africa needs and suggest ways of pursuing the goal of 'African approaches' to governance and security through capacity building. They also explore the role that the AU might play in Africa's search for knowledge, especially science, technology and innovation, in order to enhance governance, development and human security.