African Union (AU) and Its African Standby Force (ASF)

https://www.rozen-bakher.com/alliances/african-union

Published Date: 06 November 2024

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Monitoring Alliances by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher

Monitoring Military, Political, Economic and Trade Alliances that Have an Impact on Global Order and Geopolitics

Monitoring Alliances by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher https://www.rozen-bakher.com/monitoring-alliances

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Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher

A Researcher in International Relations with a Focus on Security, Political and Economic Risks for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and International Trade

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• Publications— Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher https://www.rozen-bakher.com/publications/

• Unpublished New Research Papers of Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher https://www.rozen-bakher.com/research-papers

• Risks Timeline by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher: Comments on Contemporary Risks.

  Risks Timeline by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher: https://www.rozen-bakher.com/timeline-risks

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  Monitoring Risks by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher: https://www.rozen-bakher.com/monitoring-risks-1

• Monitoring Alliances by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher: Monitoring Military, Political, Economic and Trade Alliances that Have an Impact on Global Order and Geopolitics

  Monitoring Alliances by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher: https://www.rozen-bakher.com/monitoring-alliances

• Global Survival Rank by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher: Yearly Rank to Compare the Global Political Power among Countries, Alliances and Coalitions to Survive Long Wars at the Military Level, Economic Level, and Political Level Global Survival Rank by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher https://www.rozen-bakher.com/global-survival-rank-zrb

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For the Differences Between Military Defence Treaty versus Military Support Treaty versus Military Cooperation, Please see Section B2. in 2024 Global Survival Rank by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher https://www.rozen-bakher.com/global-survival-rank-zrb/2024

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African Union (AU) and Its African Standby Force (ASF)

African Union (AU) is a Political, Trade and Economic Alliance of the African states that also has a military force, the African Standby Force (ASF), which can be activated by the authorisation of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union in order to restore peace, security and stability. However, the African Standby Force (ASF) was established to deal mainly with military coups and civil wars that frequently happen in Africa, rather than due to war attacks by other countries outside Africa. In other words, the Standby Force aims to deal mainly with internal military crises over external military crises. Therefore, the Treaty of the Peace and Security Council that the Standby Force acts upon it can not be considered a ‘Military Defence Treaty’ per se, yet sections 4(j) and 4(k) of the treaty can define the treaty as a ‘Military Defence Treaty’ yet only in the case of grave circumstances, such as Genocide, War-Crimes, and Crimes against Humanity. Considering the above, in the case of an attack by another country, a member state of the AU has the right to ask for the intervention of the Standby Force only if the war attack by another country includes Genocide or War-Crimes or Crimes against Humanity. In other words, the Treaty of the Peace and Security Council of the AU did not mention what happens in the case of a war attack by another country that is not party to the treaty, such as in the case of a European country or Asian country that attacks an African country. Nevertheless, the Peace and Security Council can decide to activate the Standby Force even in the case of a ‘regular war’, yet the member states have no automatic right to ask for the intervention of the Standby Force in the case of ‘regular war’ but only in the case of a war that includes Genocide or War-Crimes or Crimes against Humanity. 

Important Links:

• Official Website of African Union https://au.int/

• The Peace & Security Council of African Union https://au.int/en/psc

• Protocol Relating to the Establishment of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union (EN) https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/37293-treaty-0024_-_protocol_relating_to_the_establishment_of_the_peace_and_security_council_of_the_african_union_e.pdf

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African Union (AU) based on 2024 Global Survival Rank by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher

2024 Global Survival Rank by Dr. Ziva Rozen-Bakher https://www.rozen-bakher.com/global-survival-rank-zrb/2024

List of Member States of African Union (AU) by 2024 Global Survival Rank

List of Observer States of African Union (AU) by 2024 Global Survival Rank

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From Newspapers

• AU Elections: Will It Change Anything?

• Canada and African Union Commission to host High-Level and Trade Policy dialog

• African Union soldiers killed in al-Shabaab mortar attack

• Madagascar's candidate for AU leadership: 'We must avoid procrastination'

• 'The US needs us more than we need them' - AU minerals chief

• 'Urgent Decisive Action' - AU Calls on UN to Hold Israel Accountable under Intl. Law

• African Union Delegation Visits Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic to Strengthen

• How does the withdrawal of SAMIM affect AU’s engagement in the Conflict in Northern Mozambique?

• Ministers head to Ghana for African Union executive council meeting

• Tinubu demands commitment, funding towards regional standby force

• Proposed 5,000-strong “standby force” to fight insecurity in West Africa

• West African defense chiefs propose a $2.6 billion security plan that analysts say might not work

• Sudan war: African Union Peace and Security Council to muster emergency summit

• African Union calls for extraordinary summit on Sudan war

• Niger coup: Ecowas to deploy standby force

• Somalia asks peacekeepers to slow withdrawal, fears armed group resurgence

• The African Union is weak because its members want it that way – experts call for action on its powers

• Peace, integration and development among top agenda items the African Union summit

• African Union: AU, ICRC, and WFP Join Forces in Exhibition Highlighting Humanitarian Action in Africa

• Progress, challenges, and prospects of Africa’s development form the agenda of ministers at the AU Summit

• Education, Peace, Politics, Climate, Economy and International /Global Diplomacy in Focus at 37th AU Summit

• Marking the 20th Anniversary of the African Union Peace and Security Council: Reaffirming Our Collective Commitment to Building a Secure, Peaceful and Prosperous Africa

• The Security Council Agrees to Consider Funding AU Peace Operations

• African Standby Force turns 20: has it helped keep the peace? The pros and cons

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From Scientific Literature - Research Papers and Research Books

• African Union—AU Citaristi, I. (2022). African Union—AU. In The Europa Directory of International Organizations 2022 (pp. 423-437). Routledge.

• The Peace and Security Council of the African Union: from design to reality Sturman, K., & Hayatou, A. (2016). The Peace and Security Council of the African Union: from design to reality. In Africa's New Peace and Security Architecture (pp. 57-76). Routledge.

• From states to secretariats: delegation in the African Union Peace and Security Council Hardt, H. (2016). From states to secretariats: delegation in the African Union Peace and Security Council. African Security, 9(3), 161-187.

• An Assessmnent of the Transformation Of The Organization of African Unity (OAU) To The African Union (AU), 1963-2007 Edo, V. O., & Olanrewaju, M. A. (2012). An Assessmnent of the Transformation Of The Organization of African Unity (OAU) To The African Union (AU), 1963-2007. Journal of the historical society of Nigeria, 41-69.

• African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 and tourism development in Africa: contribution, contradiction and implications Gowreesunkar, V. (2019). African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 and tourism development in Africa: contribution, contradiction and implications. International Journal of Tourism Cities, 5(2), 288-300.

• The finances of the African Union (AU) Engel, U. (2019). The finances of the African Union (AU). In The Finances of Regional Organisations in the Global South (pp. 19-34). Routledge.

• Missions with hindrance: African Union (AU) and peacekeeping operations Ola, A. A., & Ehiane, S. O. (2016). Missions with hindrance: African Union (AU) and peacekeeping operations. Journal of African Union Studies, 5(1), 113-135.

• The role of the African Union (AU) in preventing conflicts in African States Bamidele, O. (2016). The role of the African Union (AU) in preventing conflicts in African States. Inkanyiso: Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 8(1), 69-78.

• The resurgence of military coups in Africa and the role of the African Union (AU) MOHAMMED, H. (2022). The resurgence of military coups in Africa and the role of the African Union (AU). Socialscientia: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 7(3).

• Regional approaches to crisis response, the African Union (AU) intervention in African states: How viable is it? Bamidele, S. (2017). Regional approaches to crisis response, the African Union (AU) intervention in African states: How viable is it?. India Quarterly, 73(1), 114-128.

• The African Standby Force: Progress and Prospects Kent, V., & Malan, M. (2003). The African Standby Force: Progress and Prospects. African Security Studies, 12(3), 71-81.

• The African Standby Force: an update on progress Cilliers, J. (2008). The African Standby Force: an update on progress (p. 7). Institute for Security Studies (ISS).

• The African standby force Cilliers, J., & Pottgieter, J. (2016). The African standby force. In Africa's New Peace and Security Architecture (pp. 111-142). Routledge.

• The African Standby Force: The African Union's tool for the maintenance of peace and security Darkwa, L. (2017). The African Standby Force: The African Union’s tool for the maintenance of peace and security. Contemporary Security Policy, 38(3), 471-482.

• Assessing the challenges of the African Union Standby Force in Peace Support Operations in Africa: The Case of Darfur, Sudan Mahela, M. (2023). Assessing the challenges of the African Union Standby Force in Peace Support Operations in Africa: The Case of Darfur, Sudan. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 7(11), 220-240.

• Eastern Africa Region And Conflict Management: Case of Eastern Africa Standby Force Wanjira, K., Wasonga, J., & Mulu, F. (2023). Eastern Africa Region And Conflict Management: Case of Eastern Africa Standby Force. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 7(1), 1229-1246.

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