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Browsing International and Public Affairs by Subject "African Union."

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    African solutions to African problems: assessing the African Union's application of endogenous conflict resolution approaches.
    Ani, Ndubuisi Christian.; Mtshali, Khondlo Phillip Thabo.
    This dissertation advances the discourse on Africa’s substantive values and priorities in conflict resolution. This is done by exploring the principles of ‘African solutions to African problems’, particularly in conflict resolution, and the implications of the identified ‘African solutions’ for the African Union’s conflict resolution efforts. The thesis is premised on the background that the maxim ‘African solutions to African problems’ was developed in the context of growing misgivings about the reliability, motive and efficiency of external interventions in Africa. This is coupled with the belief among African thinkers and politicians that the lasting solutions to Africa’s challenges can only be secured by African-oriented solutions. However, there have been inadequate explorations of what constitutes African solutions and its influence on Pan-African conflict resolution interventions. Using a constructivist framework and a qualitative methodology with reliance on interview data from African peace and security experts as well as literary discourses on African indigenous conflict resolution, this dissertation explores the substantive value of the maxim ‘African solutions to African problems’ and the implications for the interventionist outlook employed by the African Union. The research employs the case study of the African Union’s intervention in Somalia to assess the achievements, challenges and prospects in the application of African solutions. The findings of the dissertation highlights that ‘African solutions’ in conflict resolution does not refer to unique elements. Rather they refer to Africa’s prioritized values in conflict resolution that may be in consonant or discordant with those of other geopolitical regions, but significant enough to advance self-determination, local ownership and the quest for sustainable solutions in Africa. Although it emerged from the misgivings about external impositions and interventions in Africa, the maxim ‘African Solutions to African problems’ indicts African actors for their failure to exhibit appropriate agency in terms of advancing context-sensitive solutions to the continent’s challenges. In line with the theoretical framework of constructivism which argues that the international system is influenced by prevailing ideas, the ideals of African solutions obliges Africa to critic and enhance its values and priorities, and negotiate them within the prevailing theory and practice of conflict resolution without being constrained by the dictates and approaches of dominant powers. Keywords: Pan-Africanism; Constructivism; African Union; Indigenous conflict resolution; African solutions to African problems; African Peace and Security Architecture; Identity.
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    An examination of the relationship between the African Union (AU) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) : the cases of Kenya, Sudan, Rwanda and Liberia.
    (2015) Nhlangulela, Bernard Khanyisani.; Mngomezulu, Bhekithemba Richard.
    This dissertation examines the relationship between the African Union (AU) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). The case studies of Kenya, Sudan, Rwanda and Liberia were used. These countries have had dealings with the ICC at different moments. The study wanted to establish if the concerns raised by African leaders and their countries about the manner in which the ICC conducts its business in Africa is appropriate, justifiable and credible. Realism was used as a theoretical framework which guided the study. The study was conducted in the wake of calls for African countries who are signatories of the ICC to pull out of The Hague-Based Court and establish their own court, because there is a perception that the ICC is targeting Africa while leaving out leaders in other continents who continue infringing on the rights of other people. The research methodology which was followed in carrying out research for this dissertation falls within the qualitative paradigm. Both empirical and non-empirical data were collected for the study. The research instrument was a questionnaire which was distributed among purposively selected informants. Non-empirical data was collected through document analysis and the usage of other secondary sources such as books, journals, etc. The findings revealed that there are certain inconsistencies in the manner in which African countries deal with the international community. They rely on the international community for help, while on the other hand perceiving the international community as the enemy. With regards to the ICC, some African leaders posit the view that they are being singled out and targeted for prosecution. Ironically, some of the staff members of the ICC are African citizens. The second irony is that Africa has the largest number of countries that are signatories to the Rome Statute. Thirdly, there are many cases in Africa where human rights violations have occurred. Given these findings, it is recommended that before taking any drastic action against the ICC, the African political leadership should get the facts right and do self-introspection with the view to establish if their case has strong basis.