Un Reform and Funding Peacekeeping in Africa
Un Reform and Funding Peacekeeping in Africa
Two recent reports, the Report of the Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change and the Report of the Secretary-General, In Larger Freedom: towards development, security and human rights for all2 are extremely welcome and appropriate documents for those concerned with improvements in global peace and security, particularly in Africa. The two reports include a set of findings and recommendations that aim to address many of the gaps that have developed in modern peacekeeping. On the one hand, both reports argue that the role of regional organisations in conflict prevention and peace operations should be expanded and strengthened. I would refer to this as a vertical deepening of the capacity and responsibility to undertake peacekeeping by regional organisations. Although a clear hierarchy and division of responsibility (between the UN and regional organisations) is probably neither desirable nor achievable in all instances, this is clearly a requirement for Africa. Equally importantly, the two reports call for a horizontal integration and expansion of the core role of the UN (but not of regional organisations), through its structured and regular engagement in peacebuilding activities, particularly with regard to demobilization, disarmament and resettlement (DDR), but most importantly through the establishment of a Peacebuilding Commission. In Africa, the most important organisation is the African Union, which has, in turn, traditionally recognized five regional ‘building blocks’ or ‘pillars’, namely the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Economic Community of Central African States/Communauté Economique des Etats de l’Afrique Centrale (ECCAS/CEEAC) and the dormant Arab Maghreb Union (AMU). Recently, during the Abuja Summit of 2005, the East African Community (EAC) was also recognized as one of the ‘pillars’ of the Union.3 This paper is largely concerned with the implications and options associated with the proposed vertical deepening of peacekeeping capacity undertaken on behalf of the UN by regional organisations in Africa. It includes a case study on the Peace Facility of the European Union. The paper concludes with some remarks relating to the options for funding peacekeeping in Africa and challenges faced when considering peacebuilding as part of the horizontal expansion of peacekeeping referred to earlier.
CITATION: Cilliers, Jakkie. Un Reform and Funding Peacekeeping in Africa . : Taylor & Francis Group , . African Security Review, Vol. 14, Number 2, PP. 68-76, 2005 - Available at: https://library.au.int/un-reform-and-funding-peacekeeping-africa-3