Cooperating for peace and security or competing for legitimacy in Africa? The case of the African Union in Darfur

Abstract

The 21st century has witnessed institutional transformations at the regional and sub-regional levels to address peace and security challenges in Africa. At the centre of this transformation process is the creation of the African Union and its security organ, the Peace and Security Council (PSC), which has the mandate to maintain peace, security, and stability in Africa. Since its inception in 2004, the PSC has been the central arbiter of violent and non-violent conflicts in Africa. The PSC authorised its first peacekeeping mission, the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS), to monitor the N'djamena Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement between the government of Sudan and the main rebel movements, the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M) and the Justice and Equity Movement (JEM) in Darfur. The PSC mandate has opened an avenue for interregional security cooperation with the United Nations and other organisations, including the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. This article discusses this important development in continental politics of the AU with reference to the Darfur conflict. Drawing on insights from the constructivist approach to international relations, the author discusses two interrelated questions. First, what are the factors that drive Security Council and PSC cooperation on Darfur? Second, what are the challenges for this cooperation in the promotion of peace, security, and justice in Darfur and other parts of Africa? The author argues that Darfur provides an opportunity to the AU to assert its legitimacy and authority while cooperating with the Security Council.