African regional organizations such as the African Union (AU) or the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) are mandated to promote peace and security and to protect democracy and human rights on the African continent. In this context, they intervene more and more frequently in their member states: for example via mediation and negotiation in political crises, after coups or contested elections. This has for instance happened after unconstitutional changes of government in Madagascar, Niger, Mali, and, more recently, in The Gambia, when long-standing President Yahya Jammeh refused to acknowledge opposition leader Adama Barrow’s victory in the 2016 presidential elections.
African Peacemaking: Insights into politics and practice
In the wake of the workshop "African peacemaking seen from below: experiments, experiences and alternatives" African and European academics and peace practitioners from African regional organizations and civil society met in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from 26-28 January, 2017.