THE AFRICAN UNION MECHANISM IN CRISIS MANAGEMENT: ISSUES AND PROSPECT


CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The methodology of bringing to the barest minimum, the number of violent conflict situations in Africa, is at the core of the challenges facing the African Union (AU). According to Egena (2011:19), the avalanche of violent crises in the African continent has made the region very volatile and depicts an environment where violent conflict has been institutionalized. The African Union, which is the successor-body to the Organization of
African Unity (OAU), was born in 2001 (Mathiasen, 2006). Prior to the birth of the AU, the OAU in its declarations acknowledged that the scourge of conflicts must be controlled, for socio-economic progress to be made in Africa but failed to actualize such desirable control.
For instance, the OAU declaration, establishing a Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, had admitted that: no single internal factor has contributed more to the present socio-economic problems in the continent than the scourge of conflict in and among African countries. They have brought about death and human suffering, engendered hate and divided nations and families. Conflicts have forced millions of African people into a drifting life as refugees and displaced persons, deprived of their means of livelihood, human dignity and hope. Conflicts have gobbled-up scarce resources, and undermined the ability of African countries to address the many competing needs of Africans.
After reaffirming a commitment to work in concert in search of speedy and peaceful resolution of all the conflicts in Africa, the Cairo Declaration, (as the document was also called), further stipulated as follows: the Mechanism will be guided by the objectives and principles of the OAU Charter; in particular, the sovereign equality of member states, noninterference in the internal affairs of states, the respect of the sovereign and territorial integrity of member states, their inalienable right to independent existence, the peaceful settlement of disputes as well as the inviolability of borders inherited from colonialism. It will also function on the basis of the consent and cooperation of the parties to a conflict. This document/declaration and its zero-sum plans remained only declarations; as the African Union, subsequently succeeded the OAU.
The AU came into existence, when the African space had already become notorious for conflicts (Mathiasen, 2006). Therefore, conflict resolution is expected to be a major challenge to the Union. The AU has given some indications that it can do better than the defunct OAU. Where peaceful resolution had failed, the AU had resorted to military intervention. The AU’s first military intervention in a member state was the May 2003 deployment of a peacekeeping force of soldiers from South Africa, Ethiopia, and Mozambique to Burundi, to oversee the implementation of the various agreements. AU troops were also deployed in Sudan for peacekeeping in the Dafur conflict, before the mission was handed over to the United Nations on 1 January 2008. The AU has also sent a peacekeeping mission to Somalia (Williams, 2011:15). Furthermore, one of the objectives of the AU is to promote peace, security, and stability on the continent. Among its principles is “peaceful resolution of conflicts among member states of the Union, through such appropriate means as may be decided upon by the Assembly”. The primary body charged with implementing these objectives and principles is the Peace and Security Council. The PSC has the power, among other things, to authorize peace support-missions, to impose sanctions in case of unconstitutional change of government and to “take initiatives and actions it deems appropriate” in response to potential or actual conflicts. The PSC is a decision-making body in its own right and its decisions are binding on member states (Article 4(e) of the Constitutive Act).
Since it first met in 2004, the PSC has been active in relation to the crises in Darfur, Comoros, Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire and other countries. It has adopted resolutions creating the AU peacekeeping operations in Somalia and Darfur, and imposed sanctions against persons undermining peace and security, travel bans and asset freezes against the leaders of the rebellion in Comoros). The council is in the process of overseeing the establishment of a “standby force” to serve as a permanent African peacekeeping force. (Cilliers, 2008:1).

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Despite the forthright initiatives of the AU in conflict resolution, incidents of violent conflicts have persisted in Africa. In January, 2011, a wave of such conflicts, emanating from uprising against sit-tight and despotic leaders, started covering North Africa and the Middle East, from Algeria, Tunisia, and Egypt to Libya. Hence the study focuses on the African Union measures or mechanism in conflict and crisis management; challenges and prospects .

1.3 AIMS OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The general objective of the study is to examine the effectiveness of the African Union in conflict resolution, in Africa. The specific objectives of the study are to: (i) find out the nature of the measures or mechanism that the African Union has taken towards resolving political conflicts in Africa and
(ii) ascertain what the African Union must do for the Union to remain effective in African conflict resolution.

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is intended that the outcome of this study will help to stimulate further debate in the area of conflict resolution in Africa. In addition to the above, the study will generate debate, with regards to the relevance of the AU, in conflict resolution in Africa. This is against the background of the verdict of irrelevance, seemingly given to the defunct O.A.U and some suggestions to the effect that the AU has not been significantly active in the resolution of African crisis.
At the empirical level, findings of the study will lead to quicker resolution of political conflicts in Africa and thereby prevent an imminent increase in the number of such conflicts.
Findings of the study will therefore be useful in the re-positioning of the African Union (AU), for optimal performance in conflict resolution. In addition to the foregoing, findings of the study will be useful to the political elite in Africa, in instituting best practices in their policies and politics, as it is the absence of such progressive political practices that bring about violent political conflicts. African and non-African leaders, at other non-political levels, will also find beneficial, the findings of the study, as issues of conflict resolution cut across leadership spheres.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following are the research questions the study focuses on;
i) what are the mechanism used by the AU in managing crisis and conflicts?
ii) what are the impact of the mechanism?
ii) what are the challenges and the prospect in conflict management by AU?
1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The method of data collection is accordingly the documentary method of data collection. Both published and unpublished materials were utilized . The method of data analysis, entailed the examination of collected data, to review and analyze trends, problems and prospects


1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF TH STUDY
It is natural in a study of this nature for the work to face some constraints or problems. These constraints or problems constitute limitations to the work. This study is no exception. In this regard, a particular limitation had to do with the researcher’s inability to employ the interview method of data collection for the study: Findings of the study would have been enriched by the interview method of data collection, whereby key actors in AU’s affairs would have shared their experiences in conflict resolution in Africa with the researcher but inability to have access to such personalities prevented it. To make up for this constraint, the researcher made use of the interview content of the materials employed in the documentary study that has been undertaken. Despite this limitation, the data obtained and findings of the study are considered valid and reliable. Time and finance were also a limitation, as the researcher had to cope with studies and the research of this work.

1.7 RESEARCH TERMINOLOGIES AND ACRONYMS
African Union (AU): is a continental union consisting of 54 countries in Africa.
Conflict Resolution: this otherwise known as reconciliation and it is conceptualized as the method and process involved in facilitating the peaceful ending of conflict and retribution

OAU: Organization for Africa Union, it was an organization of African nation for the purpose of coordinating policy and promoting unity among African people, it is now the AU.

PSC: Peace and Security Council, it is the standing organ of the AU for the prevention , management and resolution of conflicts.

APRM : African Peer Review Mechanism, it is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by the member state of the African Union as a self monitoring mechanism.

1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
The research is divided into five chapters. Chapter one is the introductory part. Chapter two presents the literature review regarding the research area of the study. Chapter three includes, research design and sources of data, etc and chapter four consist of findings and its interpretation and while the final and fifth chapter summaries the findings and give recommendations which will contribute to further research and.