An analysis of the opportunities and challenges of the African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) in conflict resolution and peace maintenance: the case of the Madagascar coup (2009)

Abstract

The formation of the African Union (AU), on 9 July 2002, as a successor to the Organization of African Unity (OAU), and the establishment African Union Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) in 2004, gave hope of a positive shift from ‘non- interference’ to ‘non-indifference’ in the internal affairs of member states. Conflict in principle was resented and several policies were adopted to this effect. However, despite the African leaders’ agreed intolerance, coup d’état have stubbornly persisted, causing conflict in African states. The AUPSC is prescribed as both a preventive and resolution mechanism to conflict situations. This dissertation seeks to investigate the role of the AUPSC in the Madagascar coup of 2009. It argues that the AUPSC has a responsibility to protect the ordinary Malagasy citizens by resolving the conflict. However, there are significant opportunities and challenges faced by the AUPSC in fulfilling this goal. These range from the lack of financial and institutional capacity, to the lack of political will by member states and negative interference by the international community. The AUPSC is immensely ill-equipped in achieving its peace and security mandate