African Union (AU):
* Geographic Scope: Encompasses all 55 countries on the African continent.
* Focus: Political, economic, and social integration of African nations, aiming to promote peace, security, and sustainable development across the continent.
* Membership: Open to all African states, regardless of their language or history.
Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP):
* Geographic Scope: Includes countries in Africa, South America, and Asia where Portuguese is an official language.
* Focus: Cultural, linguistic, and economic cooperation between Portuguese-speaking nations.
* Membership: Limited to countries where Portuguese is an official language.
Key Differences:
* Geographic Scope: The AU encompasses all of Africa, while the CPLP is limited to Portuguese-speaking countries.
* Focus: The AU focuses on pan-African integration, while the CPLP emphasizes cooperation based on shared language and culture.
* Membership: The AU is open to all African states, while the CPLP has specific criteria based on language.
In summary, the AU is a continent-wide organization focused on unifying Africa, while the CPLP is a smaller group of nations connected by their shared linguistic heritage.