Unscrambling subsidiarity in the African Union

This report by the Institute for Security Studies examines the application of the principle of subsidiarity within the African Union (AU) and its relationship with regional mechanisms (RMs). It argues that the lack of a clear operational definition of subsidiarity has led to contradictions, competition, and inconsistent decision-making within the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). The authors recommend establishing a comprehensive legal, policy, and financial framework to shift the relationship from competition to collaboration, clearly distinguishing between the region as a 'first responder' and the AU as the 'primary actor'.

• Subsidiarity in the African context is primarily a political tool rather than a defined legal principle, used by regional levels to protect themselves from a continental peace and security architecture that is often perceived as intrusive.
• The legal framework governing the relationship between the African Union and regional mechanisms is characterized by ambiguity and contradictions, which causes confusion and inconsistent decision-making within the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).
• There is a tension between the AU's claim of primacy and the application of subsidiarity, where some member states use the latter to circumvent AU involvement by referring matters to regional organisations they perceive as more controllable.
• The assumption that geographical proximity ensures effectiveness in crisis resolution is questioned, as evidenced by cases where states preferred bilateral agreements or different regional bodies over their immediate neighbors.
• The report recommends a clear operational distinction where regional mechanisms act as the 'first responder' while the African Union remains the 'primary actor'.
• To improve coordination, the report proposes a three-pronged framework consisting of a legal framework (including mandatory AU primacy in REC treaties), a policy framework (such as a Declaration by the Assembly of Heads of State and Government), and a financial framework centered on the Peace Fund.

APA

Djilo, F., & Handy, P.-S. (2021). Unscrambling subsidiarity in the African Union. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/AR-37-Rev.pdf

Chicago

Djilo, Félicité, and Paul-Simon Handy. Unscrambling subsidiarity in the African Union. Institute for Security Studies, 2021. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/AR-37-Rev.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Djilo |first1=Félicité |last2=Handy |first2=Paul-Simon |title=Unscrambling subsidiarity in the African Union |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=December 2021 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/AR-37-Rev.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{djilo2021unscrambling, author = {Djilo, Félicité and Handy, Paul-Simon}, title = {{Unscrambling subsidiarity in the African Union}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2021}, month = dec, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/AR-37-Rev.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }