ANNEX 2
PROPOSED TIMELINE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AFRICAN STANDBY FORCE
The African Union's Emerging Peace and Security Regime
Opportunities and Challenges for Delivering on the Responsibility to Protect
Kristiana Powell
The proposed structure of the African Standby Force (ASF) is based on six conflict mission scenarios requiring a rapid response:
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Scenario 1: AU/Regional military advice to a political mission, for example in Côte d’Ivoire. Deployment timeline of 30 days.
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Scenario 2: AU/Regional observer mission co-deployed with a UN mission, for example OAU/AU Liaison Mission in Ethiopia-Eritrea (OLMEE). Deployment timeline of 30 days.
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Scenario 3: Standalone AU/Regional observer mission, for example AU mission in the Comoros (AMIC). Deployment timeline of 30 days.
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Scenario 4: AU/Regional peacekeeping force (PKF) for Chapter VI and preventive deployment mission (and peacebuilding), for example AU mission in Burundi (AMIB). Deployment timeline of 30 days.
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Scenario 5: AU PKF for complex multidimensional peacekeeping mission, including those involving low-level spoilers. Deployment timeline for complete ASF deployment within 90 days with military component deployed within 30 days.
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Scenario 6: AU intervention, for example in genocide situations where the international community does not act promptly. Deployment timeline of 14 days.
The ASF will be developed in a phased approach over the next five years. Phase I extends to 30 June 2006. By this point, the AU aims to be equipped to undertake AU or joint AU-UN monitoring missions, as well as to provide military advice to political missions (Scenarios 1-3). The AU will also be responsible for identifying lead nations to undertake intervention operations in conflict contexts where regional mechanisms are underdeveloped. To accomplish these tasks, the AU will establish the AU-level PLANELM with the capacity to pursue staff work and preparations for the establishment of the ASF. During Phase I, the regional mechanisms are expected to develop PLANELMS that are capable of undertaking force planning, preparation and training of regional standby elements. They will also establish mission HQ level management capability. Finally, standby capabilities will be developed at the national level.
In January 2004, the African Ministers of Defence and Security acknowledged that it is likely that the ASF will not be prepared by the end of Phase I to include “humanitarian, development and human rights elements” in ASF deployments and instead suggests that the UN provide these specialists, which do not require UN Security Council approval for deployment. The AU’s March 2005 “Roadmap for the Operationalisation of the African Standby Force” sets out a series of workshops to help develop specific components of the ASF during this first phase. These include workshops on doctrine; standard operating procedures; command, control, communication and information; logistics system; and training and evaluation system.
Phase II will extend up to 30 June 2010. By this stage, it is expected that AU will have developed the capacity to deploy a complex peacekeeping operation within 90 days, with the military component capable of deploying within 30 days. The AU also aims to be capable of deploying an intervention force within 14 days, in order to respond to the urgency of these types of scenarios. To generate this capacity, the RECs are expected to develop standby brigades. Those with standby capacity should aim to improve their rapid reaction capabilities. The RECs will also continue to develop their capacity to deploy a mission HQ for a Scenario 4 engagement.
