Mediation By Regional Organizations: Analysing Au Intervention In Madagascar

Abstract

Mediation is counted successful when parties agree to end the conflict and implement the agreements. This study aims to contend that success in mediation is beyond signing the agreement but ensuring lasting peace. Regional organizations have been successful and also failed in mediating conflicts. This paper therefore broadly looked at how regional organizations mediate and then narrowed down at how AU mediated in the Madagascan conflict. The African Union played an important role in resolving the conflict in Madagascar however the aim of this study is to analyze if it achieved lasting peace in Madagascar. Madagascan political crisis was very complex because of the history of coups and political instability and therefore needed a well-planned and organized mediation process. The paper looked at the role regional organizations play in mediation processes; looking at how regional organizations have generally performed in conflict resolution. Secondly the paper examined how AU performed in Madagascan crisis; the study looked at the whole mediation process and how effective the AU performed. Lastly this paper looked at the challenges and possible opportunities for the AU mediation in Madagascar. This study has raised questions on why the process dragged amid confusion and also was this peace achieved in Madagascar lasting or cosmetic. The study has used a case study approach by focusing on Madagascar political crisis of 2009. The paper used Purposive sampling. Key informants who had required skills and knowledge for the study were sampled. It used qualitative approach to be able to get data from secondary and primary sources.