The African Union’s Response to Forced Migration: Reinforcing the Nexus between Peace and Security and Refugee/IDP Protection

Africa is home to millions of displaced persons–IDPs and refugees–a trend that has its genesis in the pre-independence armed struggles and is currently perpetuated by internal conflicts that plague most parts of the continent. Although the challenge has been a permanent phenomenon since the days of the Organisation of African Unity, the continental organization, now the African Union, has failed to craft a response strategy that addresses both forced displacement and the conundrum of protracted refugee situations. This article argues for a policy reformulation that situates the problem of displacement within the core of Africa’s peace and security framework (the APSA). It posits that this approach addresses both causes of forced displacement and the welfare of the displaced. At a policy level, the approach permeates good governance, peace, security and economic strategies of the Union.