Role of African Union in Promoting Sustainable Peace and Security in Africa: a Case Study of Igad in South Sudan

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the Role of the African Union's in promoting sustainable peace in Africa with a key focus on IGAD and its South Sudan activities. The big question this study aimed to address was: What is the African Union doing to arrest instability in Africa? Are its efforts enough? What more needs to be done by the African Union to ensure stability within African countries? And what are the competing interests that interfere with mediation efforts of IGAD’s member states? What emerged strongly from this study is that African Union's conflict resolution structures and mechanisms exist and have been effective in Africa. Nevertheless, all member states should collaborate to ensure that there is peace and security in Africa. The study also concurred with the liberal ideology that stable states were unlikely to be involved in conflicts with their neighbours unlike unstable states. This study concluded that countries that are stable are more peaceful than unstable countries. Stable countries had governance structures in place and that there was interdependence and cooperation with other states. Unfortunately, Africa has been plagued by issues of governance that have led to failed states due to political instability, ethnic clashes that consequently increase the number of displaced people. Despite intervention by the international community through the UN and other non-state bodies, Africa needs to resolve its post-colonial-rooted problems. This study was able to establish that the APSA peace and security instruments were functional however the discussion is to what extent? IGAD was hailed in 2005 after mediating the South Sudan CPA, however since South Sudan reversed back to a political crisis it has not been able to effectively mediate nor bring the belligerent parties together. Prospects for peace are however not doomed since the South Sudanese nationals are optimistic that their leaders will be able to negotiate a peace truce that will steer lasting peace. Neighboring countries also play a key role in South Sudan's peace and security, especially in ensuring that mediation does not fail despite the challenges of getting the warring parties involved in the negotiations. The United Nations needs to invest financially in securing peace in this fragile state. Accordingly, the study concludes that the AU should continue the peace and security discourse and that while donor support for peace and security initiatives is waning, the AU should be able to work within the available resources to be effective in its key peace and security mandate