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Partnering for Peace: United Nations and African Union Cooperation in Peace and Security

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African Foreign Policies in International Institutions

Part of the book series: Contemporary African Political Economy ((CONTAPE))

Abstract

UN peacekeeping is ill-equipped for the current peace and security challenges in Africa. The African Union has certain advantages, which it brings to a mutually beneficial partnership with the UN. This chapter argues that the ultimate success of this partnership, however, depends upon African states addressing some significant foreign policy challenges, such as strengthening African solidarity at the AU and the UN and ensuring implementation of AU decisions; harmonizing decision-making processes and aligning strategies between the United Nations and the African Union on the one hand and the African Union and its sub-regional organizations on the other; strengthening the ability of the African Union to deliver on the ground, and resolving the question of funding for African Union Peace Support Operations. Combining the strengths of the two organizations promises to greatly improve the effectiveness of the overall effort, and therefore ensuring that the partnership is a success is a golden opportunity for African states to advance peace and security on the continent.

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Stewart, C., Andersen, L.H. (2018). Partnering for Peace: United Nations and African Union Cooperation in Peace and Security. In: Warner, J., Shaw, T. (eds) African Foreign Policies in International Institutions. Contemporary African Political Economy. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-57574-6_11

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