Collaboration between the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) is the best option for resolving the continent’s human security dilemmas. This paper, published by the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, explores the UN-AU security architecture and difficulties that affect its ability to improve human security on the continent. While the UN and regional organisations such as the AU talk about security partnerships, many definitional issues call the nature of such partnerships into question.
The AU’s security regime is premised on several norms, including sovereign equality of member states and the AU’s right to intervene in a member state in grave circumstances. It has established institutional mechanisms, including the Peace and Security Council, to support its security role.
The relationship between the UN and regional organisations such as the AU is defined by Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, which discusses the type, nature and division of responsibilities. However, while the UN’s primacy in maintaining peace and security is recognised, the AU has also reserved for itself an interventionist role that only reverts to the UN where necessary.
However, the following issues highlight the continuing lack of definitional clarity and contradictory UN approaches to its AU relationship and internal AU weaknesses:
In order to strengthen the quality of the UN/regional organisations partnership in general and AU capacity in particular, the following recommendations should be addressed:
Author: Kwesi Aning
Source: Aning K., 2008, 'The UN and the African Unionâs security architecture: Defining an emerging partnership?', Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation, pp. 8-23, No. 5, Uppsala, Sweden
Size: 16 pages (939.32 kB)
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