School of International Relations & Diplomacy

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Browsing School of International Relations & Diplomacy by Subject "African Standby Force"

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    Multidimensionalism or Militarism? A Decade of Experimentation in African Peace Support Operations
    (The African Solutions Journal (AfSol Journal), 2018-05) Onditi, Francis
    The relationship between the military, police, and civilians within the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) has, at times, been characterised by considerable tensions and mistrust. This bears direct implications on the effectiveness of the African Union to promote peace and stability on the continent. This article explores the evolution of the African Standby Force (ASF) based on case studies of the Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) and ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) to understand why and how the 2015 bench mark for achieving ASF’s full operation capability did not happen. The article argues that, with regard to the uncertainty surrounding the evolution of the ASF, it is not enough to focus solely on the macro-level factors affecting the evolution of ASF. Instead, internal processes and structures such as the attitude of peacekeepers to each other is, without doubt, an inseparable part of the ‘sluggishness’ in the realization of a rapid deployment capability (RDC). It is, therefore, more appropriate to consider the role of internal processes and civil-military power relations in the evolution of the ASF.
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    The Quest for a Multidimensional African Standby Force
    (African Conflict and Peacebuilding Review, 2016) Onditi, Francis; Okoth, Godfrey Pontian; Matanga, Frank K.
    One of the most novel ideas within the emerging African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) was the creation and adoption of the African Standby Force (ASF) policy framework in 2003–04. Since its adoption by the African Chiefs of Defense in May 2004, the focus has been on developing a multidimensional peace support operation platform. However, more than a decade after the adoption of the African common defense policy, the ASF’s plan to achieve multidimensional capacities by 2015 or beyond remains elusive. Th is delay has been attributed to several factors, including civil-military tensions. While the ASF structures have made significant efforts in training peacekeepers, the possibility for a multidimensional force in the foreseeable future has not only been delayed, but also significantly undermined. Th is article points to the need for greater focus on developing civilian and police personnel in order to equip the ASF with the right mix of capacities to respond to the unprecedented asymmetric conflicts in Africa.