An Assessment of African Union's Application of the Responsibility to Protect Doctrine

The theory and functioning behind the creation of R2P was to bring about peace and security within weak states that are unable or unwilling to protect their own citizens. Globally, R2P is accepted as a commitment by Governments to prevent and end genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity as well as to create the necessary conditions and avoid circumstances that will prevent such crimes. Following this and given the increased number of weak states, conflicts and human rights violations among the AU members, the AU embraced R2P in its structures. However, the puzzle and enigma is that despite the AU embracing and putting in place structures to oversee the implementation of R2P so as to achieve peace and security in the continent, Africa still has the highest number of conflicts in the world with human rights violations still widespread. The AU's response to these conflict situations has been limited putting to doubt the effectiveness of the AU's structural and operational implementation of the doctrine. This study therefore seeks to assess the Union's application of the doctrine and to what extent it has been successful in effecting it.