BY SOLOMON WASSIHUN
One of the compelling points raised by critics of the African Union, AU, is its slow and inconsistent response to security threats and crises flaring up in the continent. The problem is not because AU lacks proper organization. Unlike its predecessor, OAU, AU is far better structured to carry out peacekeeping and conflict prevention missions in the continent.
The AU has a standing organ, the Peace and Security Council (PSC), tasked with preventing, managing, and resolving conflicts and crises in the continent. Its initiatives have included developing an institutional design for mediation, political dialogue, early warning systems, and peace-support operations.
However, AU critics seem to underestimate the various constraints the regional body struggles with to fulfill its mission. The numerous socio-political problems infesting the continent have also impeded AU from giving appropriate attention to every crisis in an adequate and timely manner.
Nevertheless, AU’s swift reaction to the latest ethio-Sudanese border incident that happened a few days ago, seems to have outdated the conclusions of its critics. In fact, AU applied its policy of non-indifference in preventing conflicts in Sudan by closely monitoring and reacting to the deteriorating situations in the nation’s politics over the last 3 years since the overthrow of the former dictator, Gen. al-Bashir. AU focuses on the Sudanese crisis since the scenario for the eruption of civil war in the East African nation is quite realistic, and its repercussions would further complicate the already beleaguered peace and security situation in the Horn.
So far, AU has already made drastic measures pressurizing the Sudanese military regime by suspending the participation of Sudan in 2019 in all AU activities until the effective establishment of a civilian-led transitional authority. And a few days ago, just after the announcement of the latest Ethio-Sudanese border flare-up, the AU commissioner issued a strong statement calling for both countries to de-escalate the situation, and stamp out the dispute through negotiations. The sub-regional body, IGAD, has also joined the AUC in the appeal for calm.
The appeal of the AUC Chairman seems to have been heeded by the leaders of the two nations. In a few hours, both the Ethiopian and Sudanese leaders reacted positively, expressing their interest in the peaceful resolution of the latest dispute.
It appears now that the latest border skirmishes that unusually attracted world media attention and threatened to spiral into war have ebbed down. No reports of additional incidents have been heard around the border for almost a week.
The AU’s PSC Chief has expressed appreciation of Ethiopia’s role in aligning itself to the AU’s call for peace and careful handling of the last week’s border incident to de-escalate the tensions and conflict rhetorics.
As a Canadian law scholar mentioned last week, “The role of the African Union as a facilitator of the peace process in Ethiopia is more crucial than ever. Ethiopia is a firm believer in this notion. Ethiopia has a strong conviction AU can facilitate a peaceful resolution to conflicts in the continent. The Ethiopian government has expressed its confidence in AU as a neutral and capable body that can facilitate solutions to the major transboundary and internal political issues beleaguering the nation.
Unlike Egypt and Sudan, Ethiopia has always been a strong supporter of the AU-led negotiation in the tripartite talks to resolve the GERD dispute. Furthermore, the ruling party, PP has proposed the African Union to oversee a peaceful resolution of the conflict in north Ethiopia.Backed by such dedicated member states like Ethiopia, a nation committed to supporting AU achieve its objectives, the regional body can score even more spectacular results in bringing peace and stability in the continent highly susceptible to intra and inter-state conflicts, and thus dubbed the home of wars and instability.
One of the most conspicuous factors in the political crisis and conflicts seen in the continent, especially the Horn is the interference of states in the internal affairs of their neighboring states. Ethiopia is the East African nation most affected by this factor. In particular, the Sudanese government has interfered with Ethiopian internal affairs for several generations intending to destabilize it. Sudan, teaming up with anti-Ethiopia foreign powers, has been the sponsor and the host of armed rebel groups that are waging war against Ethiopia.
“There is no other option than peace in the Horn of Africa or the Greater Horn or the IGAD region, there is a need for putting those steps forward and avoid any interference. The UN Charter stipulates that countries cannot interfere in the internal affairs of others.” An African scholar commented recently.
The scholar was referring to the Declaration on the Inadmissibility of Intervention in the Domestic Affairs of States and the Protection of Their Independence and Sovereignty, which is the UN General Assembly resolution 2131. The resolution states: “No State has the right to intervene, directly or indirectly, for any reason whatever, in the internal or external affairs of any State. Consequently, armed intervention and all other forms of interference or attempted threats against the personality of the State or its political, economic and cultural elements, are condemned.”
In that sense, the Sudanese regime should rather appear before the UN Security Council not as a plaintiff for border claims against Ethiopia as it suggested last week, but rather as the defendant against the case for violating the international law of interference in the affairs of other states. Even regarding border claims, Sudan should be held liable by the law for invading Ethiopian territory by breaking the status quo set by the 1972 Exchange of Notes.
It is not only the UN but also the AU that denounces the interference of a state in the internal affairs of others. Paragraph ‘g’, chapter 4 of the Constitutive Act of AU states: The Union shall function in accordance with the principle of non-interference by any Member State in the internal affairs of another.
Contrary to these international laws, Sudan still serves as the launching pad of terrorist rebel groups working tirelessly to dismantle the Ethiopian state. It is to be recalled that a senior TPLF official confirmed a few months ago that it has tens of thousands of well-trained combatants stationed in Sudan.
It is now a public secret that Sudan is home to several training camps for the TPLF terrorist groups. The Sudanese military Junta in collaboration with Egypt provides military and logistic support to the TPLF’s terror campaigns against Ethiopia. TPLF political and military leaders wanted by Ethiopian courts charged with terrorism are freely plotting further attacks on Ethiopia in their secure and comfortable offices in Khartoum and other Sudanese cities.
It is therefore incumbent upon the AU to openly denounce the dangerous and sinister act of the Sudanese government, which violates the Constitutive Act of AU and could cause deep scare in the peace and security of the already troubled Horn region.
The AU should also be bold and take an uncompromising stance against other African states that are harboring terrorist organizations like TPLF, Shene, and others that tirelessly working to destabilize Ethiopia. Lately, investigative reports by international media sources are exposing compelling evidence proving the involvement of some East African states in the clandestine project to train highly skilled TPLF combatants.
The AU- PSC should scrutinize such alarming reports that have the potential to destabilize the Horn region, and conduct the appropriate investigation into the matter, If the report is found to be authentic, the AU should publicly denounce the actions of the east African states involved in the said project. The AU must do this not only for Ethiopia’s protection, but also as a proof of its worth and commitment to its founding principles .SO we say, AU is making strides to bring peace to the continent, but the strides must be bolder, and faster. At least it should be faster than the stride of neo-colonialists and their associates who are working to see to it that Africa remains the continent of war and instability.
The Ethiopian Herald July 6/2022
