Regional Conflict Management and the Transformation of Regional Organizations in Africa: The Cases of the African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)

Abstract

This study, while demonstrating that conflict transformation has been a key motivator for regional cooperation in Africa, assesses how engagement by three African regional organizations—the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)—in conflict transformation has affected their development. The research primarily shows that pursuing collective regional strategies for conflict transformation has been a major driver of regional cooperation and the formation of regional organizations in Africa. It posits that engagement in conflict transformation has provided these organizations with platforms and opportunities for growth that were unavailable when they focused on objectives unrelated to security. It argues that, lacking strong economic incentives or soft power—such as the influence wielded by the European Union—the existential threats posed by ongoing civil wars have been more compelling motivations and rallying points for regional integration among African states.