AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF AFRICAN UNION PEACE AND SECURITYARCHITECTURE IN SOMALIA: 2007-2024

Abstract

This study examines the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and its role in managing the Somalia conflict between 2007 and 2024. It analyzes the nature of the Somali conflict and assesses APSA’s structure, mandate, and effectiveness as a conflict resolution mechanism in Somalia and across Africa. Using secondary data sources and anchored on Liberal Institutionalism as its theoretical framework, the study evaluates APSA’s interventions, challenges, and future prospects. The findings reveal that the Somalia crisis is an internal civil war characterized by asymmetrical conflict dynamics, intensified by external influences. APSA, as a peace and security framework of the African Union, was established to promote peace, prevent conflicts, and manage crises on the continent. The study shows that APSA’s involvement particularly through peace support operations has had a significant positive impact on conflict management and the restoration of relative stability in Somalia. However, APSA faces persistent challenges, including inadequate funding, limited troop contributions from member states, and overreliance on external actors. Despite these constraints, the study concludes that APSA remains a viable and promising mechanism for conflict resolution and peace promotion in Africa. The study recommends the establishment of a government of national unity in Somalia to foster clan integration and strengthen national identity over clan loyalty. It further recommends that the African Union strengthen APSA by ensuring access to the AU Peace Fund, fully operationalizing the African Standby Force, and reducing excessive external influence in African conflicts.