The Practice of Preventive Diplomacy in the African Union

Regions in Globalization Process: Africa and the Near East
SS 2013/2014
Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Ulf Engel and Gilad Ben-Nun

The Practice of Preventive Diplomacy in the African Union

Bethelhem Taye Alemu
Email: edcationbetty1@gmail.com   or bettytaye23@gmail.com

MA Global studies (with special emphasis on peace and security in Africa)
1st year
Registration no:
Addis Ababa, 15, August 2013


Acronyms
APSA- African Peace and Security Architecture
ASF- African Stand by Force
AU- Africa Union
CEWS- Continental Early Warning System
COMESA- Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
ECOWAS - Economic Community of West African States

ECCAS- Economic Community of Central African States  

EAC- East African Community

IGAD- Intergovernmental Authority on Development  

OAU- Organization of African Union

PSC- Peace and Security Council

POW- Panel of the Wise

RECs- Regional Economic Communities

REMs - Regional Mechanisms
SADC- Southern African Development Community

UN-United Nations

UNSC-United Nations Security Council

Introduction
The establishment of the African Union (AU), the creation of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) and the transformation of the organization from non-interference to non-indifference, all seemed perfect and hoped by many to bring sustainable peace to the whole African continent. In fact, this all made the AU to have more important role in the field of peace and security than Organization of African   Union (OAU),(see Bujra 2002) as well the number of crises decreased than before; nevertheless, the organization after a decade, still did not achieve its goals, specifically with regard to conflict prevention.
After the adoption of the Protocol Relating to the Establishment of Peace and Security Council in 2002 in Durban, conflict prevention became the main issue of the organization. Article 3(b) of the Protocol clearly states that the objective for the establishment of PSC was the anticipation...