Navigating Peace Through Dialogue: A Legal Analysis of the African Union's Mediation Framework and Strategic Peace Efforts

In a continent grappling with its colonial history and the instability it has faced since independence, how can the primary African regional organization mediate peace in the shadow of power politics, fractured partnerships, and foreign interference? This thesis dives into the heart of the African Union’s (AU) mediation framework, a system where the struggle for peace and the resurgent conflicts collide, seeking answers in the cases of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute, the 2020-2021 dual-coups in Mali, and the 2023 Sudanese civil war. This study aims to uncover the AU’s mediation framework, testing its application in different contexts. Through deep dives into institutional documents, interviews with AU staff, analysis of the AU’s partnerships with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and the United Nations (UN), and meticulous dissection of three relatively recent pivotal conflicts, the research constructs a multifaceted analysis of the AU’s framework for mediation. Central to this research is an analysis of the AU’s mandate to mediate, which is introduced as the coerced-consent model; a unique mediation approach that balances State sovereignty and the principle of non-interference with the pragmatic need for intervention. Notwithstanding, the findings reveal a startling paradox: while the AU possesses a binding mandate and a robust framework for mediation, its effectiveness is frequently constrained by external interference, procedural inefficiencies, and underutilized institutional mechanisms. The AU system, therefore, holds the potential for greater efficacy but is currently operating below its capacity. The thesis charts a path forward towards a more resilient AU approach, providing strategic recommendations that offer a blueprint to transform 'African solutions for African problems' into more contextualized and effective frameworks for enduring peace.