[Reuters]- AU-How Will the African Union Secure Stability On The Continent?

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is advocating for the African Standby Force as the primary instrument for peacekeeping on the continent, amid controversies over funding and decision-making authority.

The African Union (AU) is currently convening to discuss a roadmap for the coming years, in which the issue of stability receives special attention. At the summit, the DRC drew attention by repeatedly emphasizing the role of the African Standby Forces (ASF) in securing peace across Africa. The ASF is a standby arrangement including military, police, and civilian forces from various African countries that can be activated in times of crisis. 

The DRC delegation introduced the term SMI, referring to Stability, Mediation, and Interdependency – which the DRC’s delegate considers the AU’s priorities. As a solution to the first pillar, stability, the DRC promotes the ASF as a main instrument. “We need to cool things off with diplomacy and with arms,” the delegate stated.

However, the Union remains divided on the issue. The delegate from Eswatini argued that diplomacy should have power that goes beyond arms, and Chad warned that such a mechanism could easily be instrumentalized, particularly by the AU’s more powerful member states. Furthermore, concerns were raised about funding and decision-making authority, with member states questioning how the SMI Directive could be realistically and effectively implemented. As discussions continue over the coming days, agreements about the SMI framework are expected to be reached by next week.