The African Union and coercive diplomacy: the case of Burundi

Wilén, Nina; Williams, Paul P.D.

doi:10.1017/s0022278x18000459

Cited by 22 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…It has already been highlighted above how, with the creation of the AU, African states moved from an ideology of non-intervention to the creation of a regional framework to respond to conflicts and unconstitutional changes of government within member states. Several instances of the implementation of this "new" regional ideology have been observed over the years (See Nte, Eke, & Mac-Ogonor, 2009;Oguonu & Ezeibe, 2014;Wilén & Williams, 2018). For instance, in 2005, the PSC suspended Togo from participation in the AU following an unconstitutional change of government in the country.…”

Section: The Proposed Criminal Chambermentioning

confidence: 99%

The AU’s journey to an African Criminal Court: a regional perspective

Uwazuruike

2021

Global Affairs

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The discourse on international criminal law enforcement took an interesting turn when, in 2016, three African states announced their withdrawal from the ICC, punctuated by rhetoric, both from within the AU and a selection of African Heads of States, on the need for an alternative African-wide criminal court. Researchers, over the years, have examined the strained relationship between the ICC and AU. However, very little, if any, research has examined the discourse from the perspective of regionalism, and whether a regional criminal court, which would be the first of its kind, is in line with recent regional strides within Africa. This article seeks to make an important contribution to the literature by examining past developments between the AU and ICC. It argues that, its feasibility notwithstanding, there is a strong case for viewing Africa's move for a regional court from an alternative lens of regional governance and control.

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Section: The Proposed Criminal Chambermentioning

confidence: 99%

The AU’s journey to an African Criminal Court: a regional perspective

Uwazuruike

2021

Global Affairs

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“…59 For example, the AU made the unprecedented move of threatening to use force to protect civilians in the context of the crisis in Burundi, with the PSC invoking Article 4(h) of the Constitutive Act. The AU subsequently failed to implement these measures, 60 but the invocation of article 4(h) in the context of a human protection indicates that human protection norms have begun to shape the way regional actors think about roles and responsibilities in the context of protection crises.…”

Section: Figure 2: the Institutions Of The African Human Protection Regimementioning

confidence: 99%

The African Union and Human Protection: Towards a Regional Protection Regime

Crossley

2020

African Security

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A global discourse of protection and responsibility suggests that human protection norms have gained traction. Empirically, this coincides with an observed global reduction in violence. How does this relate to regional protection practices in Africa; is there a regional protection regime? If so, how is this regime constituted, and what does it comprise? Does it shape regional protection practices, and if so, in what ways? This article describes the origins of human protection norms in Africa and outlines the institutions they have given rise to, and then assesses the role of the protection regime in shaping regional practices. An analytical framework based on regime theory, that assumes that the emergence of institutions and consistent practice indicates the emergence of a regime, is employed. An empirical survey of institutions and practices suggests the development of a regional protection regime. However, the regional structures differ from, and compete with, pre-existing international structures. While the structural prerequisites for a regional protection regime are now in place, several factors interfere with the development of the regional protection regime. The article concludes with several observations. First, the incoherence of global and regional structures results in contradictions and duplication among institutions. Second, a lack of agency of local actors, owing to limited resources and understaffing, inhibits consistent protective responses. Third, resistance by some regional agents to the norms underpinning the protection regime. However, incoherence, inconsistency, and hypocrisy are common features of regimes. Consequently, the fact that the African human protection regime is characterized by incoherence, inconsistency, and hypocrisy undermines neither its significance, nor its ability to shape practice and promote human protection.

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“…In March 2008 in a particularly instructive case, the AU launched Operation Democracy in Comoros to remove the incumbent administration on the island of Anjouan that had organised an illegal election to cling to power. This move is an example of how the AU has increasingly provided support for diplomatic and military interventions on the continent (Williams 2007, Wilén andWilliams 2018). In the 2015 Burkina Faso coup noted above, the AU and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) moved to levy sanctions on the coup organisers.…”

Section: Changing Regional and Global Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Revisiting the Civil-Military Conundrum in Africa

2020

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The military is a central component of the state and society with implications for statehood and social stability. Since independence, Africa has grappled with contentious and contradictory roles of armed forces whether they be part of or against the state. Much of the early scholarship on the role of the military tended to paint a positive picture, presenting it as a critical pillar and an agent of modernisation for the newly independent states. This was to change drastically in the era of routine and rampant coups d'états and proliferation of organised rebel activities. But the continent has undergone significant changes since the end of the Cold War. This introduction highlights some of the major changes at the centre of transformations in relations between African militaries and civilian authorities and the public. The overall focus of the introduction, and the entire special issue, is to reposition the theoretical and conceptual aperture for analysing civil-military relations in Africa.

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The African Union and coercive diplomacy: the case of Burundi

Cited by 22 publications

References 30 publications

The AU’s journey to an African Criminal Court: a regional perspective

The AU’s journey to an African Criminal Court: a regional perspective

The African Union and Human Protection: Towards a Regional Protection Regime

Revisiting the Civil-Military Conundrum in Africa

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