The African Union's Peace Operations: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Between 2003 and 2008 the African Union deployed peace operations involving approximately 15,000 soldiers to four states: Burundi, Sudan, the Comoros, and Somalia. This represented a huge change of tempo from its predecessor, the Organization of African Unity. It also raises important questions about how successful these operations have been, what challenges they raise for the union's peacekeepers, and whether this tempo of operations is sustainable. This article addresses these questions by providing an overview of the African Union's peace operations and then reflecting on some of the general conclusions that can be drawn from the organization's first five years of peacekeeping.