Opportunities and Challenges to Financing African Union Peace Operations

Financing peace operations authorized by international and regional organizations is a major challenge. The problem is more acute when it comes to funding of peace operations led by the African Union (AU) and its subregional organizations. In spite of the criti cal importance of the subject, it has received little scholarly attention. This article evaluates current funding practices, ideas, and mechanisms of AU-led peace operations with a view to stirring debate on the future of financing of peace missions in Africa. The article argues that coordination between global and regional actors and duplication of structures and waste of resources must be addressed in order for the AU and its subregional organizations to mobilize the necessary resources to support their peace support operations. It is equally important for the AU to raise its own funds through taxes on travel and commerce.