Abstract
Africa is a continent with many challenges and opportunities. Until a decade ago, the continent was more popular with its challenges than its opportunities. The narrative about ‘Africa Rising’ came after many years of identifying the continent as a hopeless case associated with conflicts, poverty, disease, and general underdevelopment. Against this background, this chapter provides an analysis of key efforts and major obstacles to building a regional security complex in Africa under the auspices of the AU. It becomes clear that various external actors interfere and exert influence, namely the EU and particularly France. The author explains their role in the security (dis)integration of the AU despite both acting as important external donors and contributors to the AU agenda.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adebajo, A. (2015). Interview with Dr Adekeye Adebajo, Executive director of the Centre for Conflict Resolution. AFRICA YEEAS, Newsletter of EU-African Affairs.
Aniche, E. T. (2020). Pan-Africanism and regionalism in Africa: The journey so far. In S. O. Oloruntoba (Ed.), Pan Africanism, regional integration and development in Africa (pp. 17–38). Palgrave.
AU. (2000). ConsAtitutive act of the African Union. https://au.int/sites/default/files/pages/34873-file-constitutiveact_en.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2019.
AU. (2002). Protocol relating to the establishment of the peace and security council of the African Union. http://www.peaceau.org/uploads/psc-protocol-en.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2021.
AU. (2005, March 22–23). Roadmap for the operationalization of the African standby force’ experts. Meeting on the relationship between the AU and the regional mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and resolution. http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/C4BC0E63EEA32DBDC1256FE1004D4476-au-gen-23mar.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2021.
AU. (2018). African peace facility, Africa-EU partnership. https://www.africa-eu-partnership.org/en/financial-support-partnership-programme/african-peace-facility. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Bappah, H. Y. (2015). Inter-regionalism as a mechanism for the harmonization of Africa’s regional integration projects. In A. O. Olutayo & A. I. Adeniran (Eds.), Regional economic communities: Exploring the process of socio-economic integration in Africa (pp. 7–22). CODESRIA.
Bayeh, E. (2014). The Eastern Africa standby force: Roles, challenges and prospects. International Journal of Political Science Development, 2(9), 197–204.
Bender, J. (2015). France’s military is all over Africa. Business Insider. http://www.businessinsider.com/frances-military-is-all-over-africa-2015-1. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Busch, G. (2017). Is the U.S. taxpayer paying for French neo-colonialism in Africa? Lima Charlie Media. https://limacharlienews.com/mena/france-us-africa/. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Claeys, A. (2004). ‘Sense and sensibility’: The role of France and French interests in European development policy since 1957. In K. Arts & A. K. Dickson (Eds.), EU development cooperation: From model to symbol (pp. 113–132). Manchester University Press.
Cumming, G. D. (2013). Nicolas Sarkozy’s Africa policy: Change, continuity or confusion? French Politics, 11(1), 24–47.
EC. (2011). The African peace and security agenda. European Commission Press Release Database. https://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-11-571_en.htm. Accessed 19 November 2019.
EC. (2012). Supporting closer cooperation and regional integration in the Maghreb: Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. Joint Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the regions. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52012JC0036&from=ga. Accessed 19 November 2019.
EC. (2015). Council conclusions on the Sahel regional action plan 2015–2020. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/21522/st07823-en15.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2021.
EC. (2016). European Development Fund (EDF). http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/node/1079. Accessed 19 November 2021.
EC. (2019a). African peace facility fact sheet: Emergency response mechanism. https://africa-eu-partnership.org/sites/default/files/apf_factsheet_-_erm.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2021.
EC. (2019b). EU support to G5 Sahel joint force: African peace facility factsheet. Africa-EU Partnership. https://www.africa-eu-partnership.org/sites/default/files/apf_factsheet_-_g5_sahel.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2021.
ECCAS. (2016). History and background. http://au.int/en/recs/eccas. Accessed 19 November 2021.
ECOWAS. (1993). Revised treaty. ECOWAS Secretariat.
Erforth, B. (2020). Multilateralism as a tool: Exploring French military cooperation in the Sahel. Journal of Strategic Studies, 43(4), 560–582.
France24. (2019). France summons Italian envoy after Di Maio’s ‘unacceptable’ Africa comments. https://www.france24.com/en/20190121-france-recalls-italian-envoy-di-maios-africa-comments. Accessed 19 November 2021.
G5 Sahel. (2014). Convention portant creation du G5 Sahel. https://www.g5sahel.org/images/convention.pdf. Accessed 19 Novmber 2021.
Gregory, S. (2000). The French military in Africa: Past and present. African Affairs, 99(396), 435–448.
Hakala, J. (2016). French Africa strategy in the European union. Bachelor’s Thesis submitted to Tallinn University of Technology. https://digikogu.taltech.ee/et/Download/a061afeb-2e93-48c2-b0b0-e75b2ec2fee9. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Helly, D., Théroux-Bénoni, L.-A., Galeazzi, G., Maïga, I., & Ouédraogo, F. (2015). Sahel strategies: Why coordination is imperative. Institute for Security Studies, Policy Brief (76). https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief76Eng.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Hentz, J. J. (2009). The Southern african security order: Regional economic integration and security among developing states. Review of International Studies, 35, 189–213.
Isik, G. (2016). Why regional integration is so important for resource-driven diversification in Africa. World Bank Blogs. https://blogs.worldbank.org/trade/why-regional-integration-so-important-resource-driven-diversification-africa. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Jacinto, L. (2013). Africa-France summit opens in Mandela’s shadow. Franc24. http://www.france24.com/en/20131206-africa-france-summit-opens-mandela-shadow-hollande-security. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Konkobo, L. (2017). African protests over the CFA ‘colonial currency’. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-41094094. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Lindström, M., & Zetterlund, K. (2012). Setting the stage for the military intervention in Libya decisions made and their implications for the EU and NATO. Swedish Defence Research Agency. https://www.foi.se/rest-api/report/FOI-R--3498--SE. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Mathews, A. (2003). Regional integration and food security in developing countries. Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations. https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/98933/PAPER145H.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Omolo, C. (2019). The Africa-EU relations and regional integration in Africa: Reassessing EU’s influence on Africas’s integration project(s). L’europe En Formation, 388, 27–50.
Porto, G., & Engel, U. (2010). The African peace and security architecture: An evolving security regime? In U. Engel & G. J. Porto (Eds.), Africa’s new peace and security architecture: Promoting norms, institutionalizing solutions (pp. 143–160). Ashgate Publishing.
Powell, N. K. (2016). How French intervention contributes to instability. Foreign Affairs. https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/west-africa/2016-02-01/flawed-strategy-sahel. Accessed 19 November, 2021.
Powell, N. K. (2017). Battling instability? The recurring logic of French military interventions in Africa African Security, 10(1), 47–72.
Qobo, M. (2007). The challenges of regional integration in Africa in the context of globalisation and the prospects for a United States of Africa. Institute for Security Studies (ISS), ISS Paper (145). https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Paper145h.pdf. Accessed 19 Nov 2021.
SADC. (2016). Organ on politics, defense and security. http://www.sadc.int/sadc-secretariat/directorates/office-executive-secretary/organ-politics-defense-and-security/. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Toth, N. (2007). Historical duty or pragmatic interest? Notes on EU and AU security issues. African Security Review, 16(3), 112–116.
Warlouzet, L. (2008). France and the negotiations for the Treaty of Rome (1955–1957). Université Paris IV-Sorbonne. https://www.cvce.eu/content/publication/2008/3/18/b5e074bc-e1fa-486f-9c85-be1ebeffa806/publishable_en.pdf. Accessed 19 November 2021.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bappah, H.Y. (2022). France, EU and the Security (Dis)integration of the African Union. In: Muntschick, J. (eds) Regionalism in Africa and External Partners. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10702-3_5
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10702-3_5
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-10701-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-10702-3
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)