Thesis (MPhil (Political Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines the prospects of an effective African peacekeeping capability in light of
the developing peace and security architecture of the relatively new continental body, the
African Union (AU). The primary aim is to determine the nature and severity of those
challenges that currently face the organization’s ambition of realizing this Pan-African
dream. This study is a qualitative analysis that comprises both descriptive and exploratory
aspects.
The thesis begins by discussing the development of peacekeeping in conflict management. It
establishes that peacekeeping emerged as an ad hoc response by the UN to address the
growing issue of inter-state conflict during the Cold War, but has evolved into one of the
primary tools used by the international community to manage complex crises. The advent of
new security threats in the post-Cold War era, spurred on by the dynamic process of
globalization, necessitated that peacekeeping adapt and is commonly perceived in
contemporary discourse as a multidimensional practice. Central to this development was the
shift in focus from international to human security and the recent development of the
Responsibility to Protect doctrine.
The study then goes on to explore the process that has ultimately led to the establishment of
the AU’s proposed peacekeeping capability, the African Standby Force (ASF). With a
dramatic increase in incidences of violent conflict across the globe in the 1990s, the UN’s
limited resources were pushed to the limit, thus paving the way for regional organizations to
play a more important role in ensuring international peace and security. The establishment of
the AU in 2002 was meant to put to bed the inability of its forerunner, the Organization of
African Unity (OAU), which had suffered from limited financial, logistical and structural
competence, while its political and institutional authority was hampered by dissent and the
qualified support of member states. However, as the African Union Mission in the Darfur
region of Sudan (AMIS), highlights, the AU’s peacekeeping capacity is hamstrung by a lack
of political will on the part of African leaders, weak institutional capacity, severe financial
constraints as well as an overly militaristic approach that neglects the essential
multidimensional nature of peacekeeping. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die tesis ondersoek die vooruitsigte van ‘n effektiewe Afrika vrede-bewaringsmag, binne die
konteks van die huidige Afrika Unie (AU) se raamwerk vir vrede en sekuriteit. Die primêre
navorsingsdoel is om vas te stel wat die AU se belangrikste uitdagings is, om die die strewe
na Pan-Afrikanisme te bewerkstellig in die area van vrede-instandhouding op die kontinent.
Eerstens word ‘n oorsig gegee oor die ontwikkeling van vrede-instandhouding binne die
konteks van konflikbestuur. Die afleiding word gemaak dat vrede-instandhouding ontstaan
het as ‘n ad hoc proses binne die Verenigde Nasies ten einde inter-staat konflik tydens die
Koue Oorlog, te besleg. Dit is later binne die internasionale gemeenskap aanvaar as die
primêre strategie vir die oplossing en hantering van internasionale konflik. Na die einde van
die Koue Oorlog, en tesame met die dinamiese proses van globalisering, het vredeinstandhouding
egter verder ontwikkel en ’n multi-dimensionele proses geword. Hierdie
ontwikkeling is hoofsaaklik gekenmerk deur ’n fokus wat wegbeweeg het van tradisionele
soewereiniteits-sekuriteit na menslike sekuriteit. Dit het gepaardgegaan met die gelyktydige
ontwikkeling van die Verantwoordelikheid om te Beskerm doktrine.
Die studie ondersoek verder die prosesse wat bygedra het tot die AU se voorgestelde
vredesmag – die Afrika Bystandsmag (ASF). As gevolg van ’n toename in internasionale
konflik tydens die 1990s is die Verenigde Nasies se vermoeëns tot die uiterste beproef. Dit
het die weg gebaan vir die opkoms van kontinentale en streeks-organisasies om ‘n meer
prominente rol te speel in internasional vrede-instandhouding en sekuriteit. Die stigting van
die AU in 2002, was veronderstel om die finansiële, logistieke en strukturele tekortkominge
van sy voorganger, die Unie vir Afrika Eenheid (OAU) aan te spreek, aangesien
laasgenoemde se politieke en institusionele hoedanigheid ondermyn is deur sy lidlande. Daar
word bevind – met behulp van ’n gevalle-studie analise van die AU se Sending na Soedan
(AMIS) dat die AU se kapasiteit nie na wense is nie, as gevolg van die gebrek aan
samewerking tussen leiers, finansiële tekortkominge en ’n neiging om militaristiese
benadering te volg, ten koste van die multi-dimensionele aspek van vredes-instandhouding.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2178 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Crichton, Andrew Trevor Mark |
| Contributors | Taylor, I., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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