The African Union is the most important cooperation of African counties. It was founded in 2002 as a successor of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). Nowadays, all internationally recognized African states, including West Sahara and excluding Morocco, belong to the African Union. The headquarters of the AU is located in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Its purposes are to create a prospering and peaceful Africa, which is led by its own inhabitants and holds a representative role in global affairs.