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AFRICAN
UNION MECHANISMS FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT: ISSUES AND PROSPECTS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
The history of Africa has been replete
with conflicts. Conflicts have ripped through the continent such that in Africa
today, crisis in human security has emerged. The resultant effects are
increasing internal conflicts, frustrated aspirations and rising social
tensions. Other effects are the displacement of people from their societies,
value systems as well as loss of governments and institutions. The need to rid
the continent from the scourge of conflicts and crises necessitated the birth
of the Organization for African Unity (OAU) on 25 May 1963 (Obasanjo, 2005).
The initial OAU mechanism for crisis
management in Africa was the Commission for Mediation, Conciliation and
Arbitration (CMCA), which came into effect in 1964. However, the post Cold War
era brought about a new political stability and social economic development.
Thus, the OAU attempted to change its mechanism for crisis management by
adopting the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution
(MCPMR) in 1993 (Lemarchand).
This mechanism was found to be deficient in some areas especially, the power to
interfere in the internal affairs of member states. This was amongst the
reasons for the transformation of the Organization into the African Union
(AU) in 2004 (Imobighe, 2003:67). Today, Africa is plagued by conflicts most of
which are intra state in nature. Thus, the regional organisation, AU has its
hands full of crises requiring resolution. These conflicts and crises which
occurred mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa have been protracted, thus posing serious
challenges to the AU.
The drift by some African States into
unmitigated chaos became a constant source of worry to many leaders in the
continent and the international community at large. The series of conferences
and summits held across the continent reflected this. It was at an Ordinary
Summit of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in 2001 that the
Constitutive Act of AU was adopted by 53 member states of the OAU in Lome,
Togo (Salim, 2002:18).
Furthermore, the desire for a stronger organisation that would be capable of
handling the numerous conflicts that plagued the continent provided the
initiative that paved the way for the birth of the AU. This process began in
Sirte, Libya in September 1999 during an extraordinary summit of the OAU
(Salim, 2002:23).
The AU, thus
aimed at achieving greater unity and solidarity between the African countries
and its people, defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity and
independence of its member states. It was also to accelerate the political and
socio-economic integration of the continent; and promote peace, security and
stability on the continent (Constitutive Act of the AU, Article 4).
The
Constitutive Act of the Union was then to enter into force 30 days after the
deposit of the instrument of ratification by two-thirds of the member states of
the OAU. Consequently, the Act
entered into force on 26 May 2000 after Nigeria deposited its instrument of
ratification with the OAU Secretariat on 26
April 2000; being the thirty-sixth member state to do so (Constitutive
Act of the AU, Article 4).
At its
inception, the AU in a bid to realise collective security in the continent set
out certain principles to guide the union. The principles and values informing
the African Collective Security Policy include, inter-alia, the principles
contained in Article 4 of the Constitutive Act of the AU.
The indivisibility of the security of
African States is made such that the security of one African country is
inseparably linked to the security of other African countries, and the African
continent as a whole. Accordingly, any threat or aggression on one African
country is deemed to be a threat or aggression on the others and the continent
as a whole. These threats are then brought to the immediate attention of the
Assembly of the Union or the Peace and Security Council (PSC) for decision and
action as appropriate, in conformity with the AU principles and objectives
(Constitutive Act of the AU, Article 4).
Conscious of the inadequacy of the
clause of non-interference in the affairs of member states, a new clause in the
Constitutive Act of the AU expressed the right of the Union to intervene. This
is in pursuant to a decision of the Assembly in respect of grave circumstances,
namely war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. The clause resulted
from experiences gained in previous conflict management attempts in the
continent under the OAU.
The AU has been involved in the
management of the Sudanese, Ethiopia-Eritrea and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DRC) crises among others in Africa. However, with the eventual
transformation of the OAU into AU, crises management and peace support
operations remain a process. This in the
opinion of many still requires extra efforts on the part of the organisation.
Salim Ahmed Salim, a former Secretary General of OAU succinctly made the point
when he declared:
…with the
creation of the mechanism for conflict prevention, management in Cairo in 1993,
a view and significantly different vision emerged in one continent. The
creation of that mechanism signified a change from the position of “don’t
interfere” to one “collective concern” for the peace, security and stability of
the people of our continent. The doctrine became what happens to my neighbour
is my responsibility also”. Since then, the issue of internal conflicts has
become a matter of continental concern (Constitutive Act of the AU, Article 4).
The
management of conflicts and crises by Africans has thus presented an
opportunity on the emergence of the AU. Though the AU is still new, the
expectations of Africans in the ability of the organisation to manage conflicts
and crises, is indeed very high. It remains to be seen if this optimism can be
translated into effective conflict and crises management which would lead to
successful conflict resolution.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
The African continent has been
synonymous with conflicts even before the formation of the OAU and now AU. This
situation cannot be divorced from historical factors surrounding the formation
of nation states in Africa prominent among which was the partition of the
continent by the European powers at the Berlin Conference of 1884 to 1885. This
conference was to change the course of events in Africa. It brought people with
different and antagonistic ideologies together under single states without putting
in place mechanisms to ensure harmonious existence among them. This was the
starting point of recurrent conflicts and crises in Africa.
In the Post Cold War era, African
conflicts and crises have been largely intrastate except the Ethiopia-Eritrea
conflict and that of the DRC (Salim, 2002:33). They have also been too frequent
that the AU appears overwhelmed. The recurrence of conflicts in the continent
has become a factor for the assumption that AU mechanisms for conflict
management are perhaps deficient in some respects.
If the AU must improve on its
mechanisms for conflict management and peace support operations, the challenges
confronting the organisation need to be identified with a view to working out a
better approach. It is in this context that this research examines the issues
and prospects of AU crisis management.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH
The following under listed are the
objectives of this research:
(1) To discuss the AU mechanisms for crisis and
conflict management in Africa.
(2) To discuss the challenges of the current AU
conflict management mechanisms.
(3) Examine the prospects of enhancing AU
mechanisms for crises management in the continent.
(4) To suggest possible ways on how best to
improve the AU mechanisms for crises management.
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The importance of this study is
appreciable in the fact that:
(1) The AU Secretariat staff and policy makers
would benefit from it as it presents viable prospects to address issues raised.
(2) It will also contribute to the existing body
of knowledge on crises management by the AU in Africa.
(3) It will serve as reference material for
further research in the area of crises management.
1.5 SCOPE OF THE RESEARCH
This research covers events in Africa
regarding conflicts from 2000 to 2008.
This period provides room for assessing the efficiency of AU mechanisms for
crisis management from her inception to date.
1.6 LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH
The study faced with some limitations.
This arose from the inability of the researcher to interview key individuals
who are stakeholders in crisis management under the auspices of the AU.
However, a few interviews of past officials of the AU and some diplomats as
well as military personnel who had participated in AU Peace Support Operations
(PSOs) assisted in the attainment of the research objectives.
1.7 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This study answered the following
research questions:
(1) Is there any significant relationship
between AU mechanisms for crisis management and crisis management in Africa?
(2) Are AU mechanisms for crisis management in
Africa effective?
(3) Are there challenges and prospects of AU
mechanisms for crisis management in Africa?
(4) Are there other measures that could be
adopted by the AU to make its mechanisms for crisis management more effective
in the continent?
1.8 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The study tested the following
hypotheses:
(1) HO -
The AU mechanisms for crisis management is not faced with challenges in
managing crisis in Africa.
(2) HA -
The AU mechanisms for crisis management is faced with challenges in managing crisis
in Africa.
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