Lessons from North African Uprisings for 2012 as AU's Year of 'Shared Values'

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyzes the African Union's (AU) response to the North African uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya. It argues that the AU's tendency to prioritize state security and sovereignty over human security and democracy was evident in its weak response to these crises. The author suggests that for the AU's 'Year of Shared Values' to be meaningful, the organization must move beyond rhetoric to enforce compliance with democracy and human rights standards through credible sanctions and technical support.

• The North African uprisings highlighted a conflict within the African Union (AU) between its commitment to human security and its commitment to state security, where the latter prioritizes stability and sovereignty over human rights and democracy.
• The AU's response to the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya was characterized as weak and lacking resolve; despite the potential for serious crimes, the AU did not implement sanctions or interventions as provided under Article 4 (h) of the Constitutive Act.
• The events in North Africa challenge the notion that economic development should be prioritized over democratization, demonstrating that 'delivery-based legitimacy' is insufficient and that ignoring democratic governance can lead to political instability.
• To prevent future uprisings and maintain its legitimacy, the AU needs to develop the capacity to enforce compliance with its instruments, which may include creating credible sanctions for states that fail to meet democracy and human rights commitments.

APA

Dersso, S. A. (n.d.). Lessons from North African Uprisings for 2012 as AU's Year of 'Shared Values'. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/lessons-from-north-african-uprisings-for-2012-as-aus-year-of-shared-values

Chicago

Dersso, Solomon A. Lessons from North African Uprisings for 2012 as AU's Year of 'Shared Values'. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/iss-today/lessons-from-north-african-uprisings-for-2012-as-aus-year-of-shared-values.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dersso |first1=Solomon A. |title=Lessons from North African Uprisings for 2012 as AU's Year of 'Shared Values' |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/iss-today/lessons-from-north-african-uprisings-for-2012-as-aus-year-of-shared-values |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{derssondlessons, author = {Dersso, Solomon A.}, title = {{Lessons from North African Uprisings for 2012 as AU's Year of 'Shared Values'}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/iss-today/lessons-from-north-african-uprisings-for-2012-as-aus-year-of-shared-values}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }