ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the African Union (AU) legal framework for ensuring peace, security and respect for rule of law in Member States and across the continent. The legal underpinnings in the area of peace and security have emerged gradually over the years from the time of the Organisation of African Unity to the AU. The African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) is the umbrella term for the AU's main mechanism for promoting peace and security in Africa. The APSA has two interconnected layers. The first layer comprises its constituent institutions, which include the Peace and Security Council, the Panel of the Wise, the Continental Early Warning System, the African Standby Force, the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises and the Peace Fund. The second layer comprises the eight regional economic communities (RECs) recognised by the AU and two regional mechanisms that play important roles in the achievement of APSA objectives.
