Speaker: Dr Sylvester Bongani Maphosa, Chief Research Specialist, Governance and Security Programme, AISA, HSRC
Date: Friday, 11 July 2014
Time: 12:30 – 13:30
Venue: VCRs, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban
Please note that parking in the basement of the HSRC in Pretoria is limited, and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Kindly note that casual parking is available around the corner from the HSRC at City Place Interpark.
During the last two decades challenges of armed conflict have led to an unprecedented and diffuse system of peacekeeping measures. The complexity and scope of current peace operations is characterised by the need for collaboration at virtually every level of engagement and in every operational setting. While considerable progress has been made in many respects with the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) including Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and/or Regional Mechanisms (RMs) enjoying a multidimensional and maturing relationship, key challenges remain for moving toward more balanced subsidiarity practice including institutionalised and ultimately more effective strategic partnerships on managing conflicts in Africa.
The nature of intra-AU dynamics including relations among the AU Commission, the PSC, and AU Member States present major gaps between the PSC’s willingness to authorise peace operations and the AU’s ability to implement them, risking to undermine the credibility of the AU PSC.
Fundamentally, what should be the new initiatives that will strengthen the legitimacy of AU PSC led peace operations and engender greater capacity for peace? To address this fundamental question, this seminar examines the evolution of collaboration and application of subsidiarity principle between the UN and AU including sub-regional actors in peace operations. It seeks to elucidate how implied elements of subsidiarity between the UN and AU and RECs/RMs including consultative decision-making, division of labour and burden sharing influence such missions.
Using selected field missions manifesting collective efforts in several conflict and post-conflict settings including Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region, central Africa region, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Sudan and South Sudan and Somalia, this paper demonstrates that mobilization of greater financial support by Member States is crucial to African peace efforts. In conclusion, this seminar suggests practical recommendations for innovative ways of addressing intra-AU bottlenecks in managing conflicts in the region.
During the last two decades challenges of armed conflict have led to an unprecedented and diffuse system of peacekeeping measures. The complexity and scope of current peace operations is characterised by the need for collaboration at virtually every level of engagement and in every operational setting. While considerable progress has been made in many respects with the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) including Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and/or Regional Mechanisms (RMs) enjoying a multidimensional and maturing relationship, key challenges remain for moving toward more balanced subsidiarity practice including institutionalised and ultimately more effective strategic partnerships on managing conflicts in Africa.
The nature of intra-AU dynamics including relations among the AU Commission, the PSC, and AU Member States present major gaps between the PSC’s willingness to authorise peace operations and the AU’s ability to implement them, risking to undermine the credibility of the AU PSC. Fundamentally, what should be the new initiatives that will strengthen the legitimacy of AU PSC led peace operations and engender greater capacity for peace? To address this fundamental question, this seminar examines the evolution of collaboration and application of subsidiarity principle between the UN and AU including sub-regional actors in peace operations. It seeks to elucidate how implied elements of subsidiarity between the UN and AU and RECs/RMs including consultative decision-making, division of labour and burden sharing influence such missions.
Using selected field missions manifesting collective efforts in several conflict and post-conflict settings including Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region, central Africa region, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Sudan and South Sudan and Somalia, this paper demonstrates that mobilization of greater financial support by Member States is crucial to African peace efforts. In conclusion, this seminar suggests practical recommendations for innovative ways of addressing intra-AU bottlenecks in managing conflicts in the region.
RSVP by 10 July
Cape Town: Ray Adams (021) 466 7936, radams@hsrc.ac.za 12th Floor, Plein Park Building, Plein Street, Cape Town
Durban: Ridhwaan Khan (031) 242 5400, rkhan@hsrc.ac.za 1st Floor, 750 Francois Road, Ntuthuko Junction, Pods 5 and 6, Cato Manor
Pretoria: Arlene Grossberg (012) 302 2811, acgrossberg@hsrc.ac.za 1st Floor, HSRC Building, 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria
Sam Lekala at slekala@hsrc.ac.za; (012) 316 9753