Peace, security and democracy in Africa? A summary of outcomes from the 2002 OAU/AU summits in Durban

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies analyses the outcomes of the 2002 summits in Durban, marking the transition from the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU). It details the establishment of the AU's core governance structures, the protocol for the Peace and Security Council, and various declarations regarding democratic elections and continental development frameworks like NEPAD and CSSDCA.

• The Durban summit established the core governance structures of the African Union (AU), including the Assembly (the supreme organ), the Executive Council (composed of Ministers of Foreign Affairs), the Permanent Representatives Committee, and the Commission (the secretariat).
• The AU's leadership structure was designed to shift political power away from the annual Chairperson of the Assembly toward the Chairperson of the Commission, who will represent the Union between ordinary Assembly meetings.
• The Protocol on the Peace and Security Council (PSC) establishes a standing decision-making body for conflict prevention and resolution, consisting of 15 members: 10 elected for two-year terms and five elected for three-year terms.
• The PSC is supported by several mechanisms, including a Panel of the Wise (five respected African personalities), a Continental Early Warning System, a Special Fund, and an African Standby Force for rapid deployment in peace support or intervention missions.
• The AU adopted strict rules regarding unconstitutional changes in government, stating that regimes coming to power through coups or other illegal means may not participate in Union activities and will face sanctions such as visa denials and trade restrictions.
• A Declaration Governing Democratic Elections in Africa was agreed upon to harmonise viewpoints on free and fair elections, though it is not binding and relies heavily on national regulatory frameworks.
• The Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Co-operation (CSSDCA) provides a policy forum and monitoring mechanism for the AU, featuring 24 core values, 46 commitments, and 50 key performance indicators.
• The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) implementation committee was expanded from 15 to 20 countries, a move the author suggests may weaken the partnership by including countries with doubtful democratic credentials.
• The AU faces significant financial challenges, with the OAU having carried approximately US$52 million in arrears as of May 2002; the AU is estimated to need an annual budget of roughly US$80 million to function effectively.

APA

Cilliers, J. (2002). Peace, security and democracy in Africa? A summary of outcomes from the 2002 OAU/AU summits in Durban. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PAPER60.2.PDF

Chicago

Cilliers, Jakkie. Peace, security and democracy in Africa? A summary of outcomes from the 2002 OAU/AU summits in Durban. Institute for Security Studies, 2002. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PAPER60.2.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cilliers |first1=Jakkie |title=Peace, security and democracy in Africa? A summary of outcomes from the 2002 OAU/AU summits in Durban |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=August 2002 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PAPER60.2.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cilliers2002peace, author = {Cilliers, Jakkie}, title = {{Peace, security and democracy in Africa? A summary of outcomes from the 2002 OAU/AU summits in Durban}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2002}, month = aug, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PAPER60.2.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }