Chapter 2. Definition of key concepts and literature review 2.1. Definition 2.2. Economic integration 2.3. Conflict 2.3.1. Causes 2.3.1.1 Problems in managing transition and rapid charge 2.3.1.2. Widening socio-economic disparities 2.3.1.3. The exploitation of ethnic, religious and other social differences 2.3.1.4. Competing over scarce resources 2.3.1.5. Legacy of violence 2.3.1.6. Environmental insecurity 2.4. Preventive measures/strategies 2.4.1. Operational prevention 2.4.2. Early warning 2.4.3. Preventive diplomacy 2.4.4. Economic measures 2.4.4.1. Sanctions 2.4.4.2. Inducement 2.4.4.3. Conditionality 2.4.5. Force measures 2.4.6. Structural prevention 2.5. Conflict resolution 2.6. The concept of genocide 2.6.1. Factors justifying events as genocide Chapter 3. Reflections on the political and socio-economic effects of African conflicts 3.1. Missing lives 3.2. Anti-personal landmines 3.3. Refugees and displaced persons 3.4. Economic losses 3.5. High social costs 3.6. Conflict induced changes in women’s Gender Rules 3.7. Post-conflict reconstruction 3.7.1. Immediate post-conflict reconstruction 3.7.2. Political reconstruction 3.7.3. Economic reconstruction 3.7.4. Social reconstruction 3.7.5. Relief vs. development in gender sensitive reconstruction Chapter 4. The OAU, from Charlton town Hall, Manchester, to Africa All, Addis Ababa 4.1. The Commission of Mediation, Conciliation and Arbitration (CMCA) Chapter 5. The OAU mechanism for conflict prevention, management and resolution 5.1. The objective of the mechanism 5.2. The structure of the mechanism 5.2.1. The central organ 5.2.2. The CMC 5.2.3. Early warning 5.2.4. Operation unit 5.2.5. Peace fund 5.3. Performance of the MCPMR 5.4. Preventive diplomacy 5.5. The Comoros 5.6. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) 5.7. Burundi conflicts 5.7.1. The nature of the conflict 5.7.2. The parties to the conflict 5.7.2.1. The army and UPRONA 5.7.2.2. FRODEBU and the CNDD/FDD 5.7.3. The mediation initiatives – October 21, 1993 – July 20, 1996 5.7.4. Legal explanation 5.7.5. The second phase initiatives: July 25, 1996 –July 15, 1998 5.7.6. Conclusion 5.8. Rwanda 5.8.1. Mediation efforts 5.8.2. the Rwandan civil war of the 1990s 5.8.3. The parties of the conflict 5.8.3.1. The RPF 5.8.3.2. the government 5.8.3.3. the internal opposition 5.8.4. The bumpy road to Arusha 5.8.5. The regional response: October 1990 – August 1991 5.8.5.1. A postmortem of the Summitry Phase 5.8.6. Zeroing- in –on the mediator: September 1991 – June 1992 5.8.7. Legal explanation of the outcome 5.8.8. Accepting mediation 5.8.9. Summary 5.9. Ethiopia-Eritrea 5.9.1. The origin and nature of the conflict 5.9.2.1. Phase one: the Washington-Kigali intervention 5.9.2.2. Phase two: the OAU mediation 5.9.2.3. Phase three: enter special envoys Chapter 6. Peace and security council (PSC) 6.1. An overview 6.1.1. The Lusaka Summit 6.1.2. Relations with the UNSC and the regional mechanism 6.1.3. Peacekeeping and intervention 6.1.4. The debate 6.2. A comparative analysis between MCPMR and PSC 6.2.1. Establishment, nature and structure 6.2.2. Composition 6.2.3. Functions 6.2.4. Powers 6.2.5. Organization an meeting 6.3. The peace and Security Council’s performance under legal microscope 6.3.1 Organization and activities 6.3.2. Some of the constraints facing the peace and Security Council 6.3.2.1. Confusion over the establishment of the African Union and the PSC 6.3.2.2. The drafting and execution of the AU policy organs decisions Chapter 7. General observations, assessments, recommendations an conclusions 7.1. An assessment of PSC 7.2. Work and achievements of the peace and Security Council 7.3. Working method 7.3.1. PSC and Regional Economic communities/Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RECs/RMs) 7.3.2. PSC and other AU organs 7.3.3. Interaction between the PSC and Civil society Organizations 7.3.4. Establishment and operationalization of subsidiary bodies of the PSC 7.3.5. Preventing and combating unconstitutional changes of government in Africa 7.3.6. Implementation of Article 7(q) and dissemination of information to Africa 7.3.7. PSC and the UN Security Council, EU and other International Organizations 7.4. Constraining factors upon the Operation of the peace and Security Council 7.5. Challenges and recommendations 7.5.1. Strengthening the role of PSC members 7.5.2. Undertaking the task of conflict prevention 7.5.3. Initiation of draft decisions on issues 7.5.4. Convening of public sessions 7.5.5. Annual consultative meeting of the PSC: with similar organs 7.5.6. Convening of high-level PSC Meetings 7.5.7. Resource mobilization 7.5.8. Operationalization of PSC: subsidiary bodies 7.5.9. UN funding for AU-led peace support-peacekeeping operations 7.5.10 Review of the PSC: protocol 7.5.11. Nature and timelines of reports 7.5.12. Discussions within the PSC 7.5.13. Agenda of the Central Organ 7.5.14. Non-implementation of decisions and ratification of various conventions and protocols of the AU 7.5.15. Emerging phenomenon of popular uprisings: what response? 7.6. Conclusions