The Constitutive Act of the African Union sets out the codified framework under which the African Union is to conduct itself. It was signed on 11 July 2000 at Lomé, Togo. It entered into force after two thirds of the 53 signatory states ratified the convention. When a state ratifies the Constitutive Act, it formally becomes a member of the AU. All 53 signatory states have ratified the document.