It’s been 20 years since the African Standby Force was established by the African Union (AU). The standby force is mandated to implement the AU’s right to intervene in African situations that require military force. This year, the AU is reviewing the force’s successes and failures.
Cedric de Coning and Andrew E. Yaw Tchie, who have studied the evolving nature of African-led peace operations, provide an overview of the standby force and where it fits in the continent’s security architecture.