Welcome to a two-day policy dialogue on Regional Economic Communities and Peacebuilding in Southern Africa

The increased role of regional organizations in conflict management, peacekeeping and peacebuilding are important features of the emerging post-Cold War system. Given the growing complexity of conflict dynamics and security challenges in the post-Cold war world require greater cooperation and coordination among states within regions. The current waves of globalization are already provoking consensus formation and international coordination on a regional basis. Many national governments are coming together to address problems/threats with cross-border or transnational dimensions such as pandemics, desertification, drought, climate change, HIV/AIDS, drug, arms and human trafficking that have further influenced many states to embrace regionalist approaches and mechanisms. This is the context in which the emergence of the African Union (AU) as an import peace and security actor represents a renewed commitment of African states to the regionalist approach.