Peace Building Functions in Peace Keeping Operation: the Case of African Union Mission in Somalia, 2007 - 2013

Abstract

The peace building functions by Africa Union is one of the good efforts towards retaining peace in Somalia. Somalia has experienced turmoil??™s for so many decades. The peace buildings by AU are caught up by many challenges. The main one been funds to facilitate the functions. Though those challenges are there, the study has found out that, the AU has really tried to calm down the war. The research also wanted to find out the intentions of AU towards those functions, but it can ascertain that they are positive. The objectives of the study are to investigate the role of AU in peace building in Somalia. The roles of AU can be classified as positive. If the AU had enough funds towards these functions it could have done tremendous job. The other objective is to examine if the citizens of Somalia are benefiting out of these functions by African Union, the answer to that is yes, because it has been witnessed as majority of Somalia citizens who were refuges going back to their country. The linkage between peace building functions and peace keeping operations. So the study can conclude by saying, unlike other Unions with hidden agendas in aiding other nation the African Union has none. The study used structural conflict theory as a theoretical framework. The bases of this theoretical framework are on issues of competition of resources. Every individual is struggling to have resources. This issue led to people fighting each other because of resources, as result they ended up killing each other. This issue of competition for resources it has made the functions of peace building by African Union very complicated. Those who acquired resources unjustly are against peace building for the fear their resources will be taken away. The key finding of the study is that the institutions of Somalia need to be strengthening if not to re-made a new. These institutions like Judiciary they must be there to collect the injustices which are there in Somalia. To add on that the issue of funding also needs to be looked at. Issues of funds have made the functions of peace building in Somalia complicated. All nations need to be supporting the nations in conflicts like Somalia Finally the research conclusions are that, for the peace building functions to be successive they need the contribution of every individual, that is the individual from Somalia and also the outside countries.