Africa Union Peace Support Operation: Challenges and Prospects. In case of Darfur Crisis.

Abstract

This study aims at assessing the effectiveness, challenges and prospects of Africa Union Peace Support operation specifically Peace and Security Council since 2004-2022. To reach its objective the study employed qualitative research approaches with purposive sampling technique, data have been collected both from primary and secondary sources. The researcher conducted FGD with selected officials of Five AU PSC and Five from ISS. And also the researcher had interview with three key informants from AUPSC and Two security analysts and researcher of ISS at Addis Ababa. Semi structured interview were conducted with officials and experts from Africa Union. The study identified as the biggest organization called AU played a pivotal role in the peace making, peace keeping and peace establishment in the continent as much as it can. For instance, the effort of Africa Union in Darfur crisis in resolving civil war earlier and its role on the formation of newly independent state called South Sudan, its role in AMIS, AMISOM, Libya crisis and peace dealing between TPLF and FDRE was unforgettable. However, AU is not effective in achieving its objective that are clearly stated on its Constitutive Act because of different internal and external challenges such as unwanted external intervention, lack of coordination among member states, lack of willingness of member states to pay their annual monetary contribution to the Organization, overdependence on foreign aid, exclusive approach and broadness of objectives of the organization as major challenges and the establishment of free trade area, expansions of agricultural industry, integrated systems of transportation and advancement of technology in Africa as prospects of Africa Union.In order to overcome the graved challenges, the researcher sighted the following recommendation as follows: AU shall empower nations economically and encourage member states to actively engage in the victimized part of continent, AU shall follow inclusive approach and invite domestic scholars.