Clarifying the Roles of the African Union and Sub-Regional Organizations in Peace and Security : The Case of South Sudan

A growing trend in Africa's security landscape is the central role of sub-regional organizations and coalitions in addressing security threats in their respective regions. At the same time, the primary responsibility of the African Union (AU) in crises situations is increasingly vague and often focused on endorsing subregional decisions and supporting resource mobilization. Using the case of the South Sudan peace process led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), this article highlights issues with the current status quo. The article argues that the overlapping mandates and unclear division of labor between the AU and sub-regions in security situations has impact on Africa's integration agenda as well as the AU's primacy for peace and security on the continent. Indeed, clarifying the roles of the AU and sub-regional organizations is among the pivotal issues on the AU reform process that was initiated in January 2017. To enhance African integration and maximize the capacities on the continent for sustainable peace, the reform has to strengthen the capacity of the AU to influence peace processes led by sub-regional organizations, including playing a robust role when sub-regional mechanisms are unable and/or unwilling to pursue sustainable peace.