Rationale of the African Union’s Right to Intervene in Regional Conflicts: Case of South Sudan
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Date
2022
Authors
Adiele, Becky Udochukwu
Ichani, Xavier
Hamasi, Linnet
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Interdisciplinary Studies Association
Abstract
The right to intervene is one of the unique principles of the African Union as an international organization. Specifically, the study sought to analyze the rationale behind the principle of the right to intervene, in terms of what the original drafters envisioned as the conceptualization. The context of South Sudan conflict is mentioned to better understand the phenomena and apply it in a real time situation. This study utilized the qualitative approach, securing primary and secondary data from interviews conducted on AU peace and security experts. Secondary data entailed the review of journal articles, books and policy documents. The findings highlights that the right to intervene as envisioned in the Constitutive Act was primarily military intervention. However, with regards to recent practices by the AU and other relevant literature on the matter, the right to intervene is seen to encompass various forms and levels of intervention including military intervention; diplomatic peace processes; and sanctions, so long as the AU does not imitate the principle of non-interference like its predecessor, the OAU, and watch as humanitarian crisis escalates in the continent. Recommendations highlights employing an inter-agency coordination approach among the relevant stakeholders to resolve the many controversies associated with the right to intervene, starting with better mechanisms in place to guide conceptualization of the right to intervene.
Description
Article
Keywords
AU, Intervention, South Sudan, Conflict, Human Rights, Conceptualization
Citation
Adiele, B. U, Ichani, X & Hamasi, L. H. (2022). Rationale of the African Union’s Right to Intervene in Regional Conflicts: Case of South Sudan. Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 6(4), 4 – 17.