Policy brief
Published:
Standby security arrangements and deployment setbacks: The case of the African Standby Force
Summary:
The African Standby Force (ASF) is a key mechanism for advancing African agency in addressing the
continent’s peace and security threats. The African Union (AU), regional economic communities (RECs)
and regional mechanisms (RMs) have previously deployed stabilisation missions and ad hoc security
initiatives (ASIs). Yet these deployments don’t strictly reflect the principles envisaged in the original
ASF make-up and authorisation processes. In this report, the authors argue that the future of the ASF
future should be seen as an opportunity for the AU and RECs/RMs to standardise the quest for African
agency and adopt an agile approach that aims for better partnerships between the RECs, ASIs and
member states.
continent’s peace and security threats. The African Union (AU), regional economic communities (RECs)
and regional mechanisms (RMs) have previously deployed stabilisation missions and ad hoc security
initiatives (ASIs). Yet these deployments don’t strictly reflect the principles envisaged in the original
ASF make-up and authorisation processes. In this report, the authors argue that the future of the ASF
future should be seen as an opportunity for the AU and RECs/RMs to standardise the quest for African
agency and adopt an agile approach that aims for better partnerships between the RECs, ASIs and
member states.
- Published year: 2022
- Full version: https://trainingforpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/ASF-Report_Standby-Arrangements.pdf
- Publisher: Training For Peace