The Organization of African Unity, created nearly four decades ago as a symbol for the new Africa, is about to enter the history books. It will be replaced by the African Union, perhaps as early as next year, to achieve a new mission: developing a region plagued by conflict, AIDS and poverty. It remains to be seen, however, whether the new century will bring stability, health and prosperity to the continent.

The OAU, which started in 1963 with 32 nations, now has 53 members, representing about a fourth of the United Nations, 20 percent of the global landmass and roughly 10 percent of the world population. But Africa is often described as a "burden" on the world. The OAU is partly to blame, because it has been unable to address the new problems that besets the continent.

One of the OAU's founding principles is to eradicate all forms of colonialism from Africa. That was the rallying cry for African states in the early period of the organization's existence. But its raison d'etre rapidly decreased after Namibia became independent in 1990, and after Mr. Nelson Mandela of South Africa established a black government in 1994, making a clean break with apartheid.