From cold war alliances to regional security complexes in Africa: ECOWAS and African Union’s security framework in perspective

There is an intriguing transformation in Africa's security path with the dismantling of Cold War geopolitics. Accordingly, Africa has, for a long time, been viewed as a chessboard, and the African states are increasingly asserting agency through regional security architectures. This study, with a focus on ECOWAS and the African Union, attempts to address the transition from externally imposed alliances to regionally rooted complexes with regard to security. The study draws attention to the significance of these institutions in dealing with issues of intra-state conflict, terrorism, and democratic backsliding. The study acknowledges that while ECOWAS and the AU have become quite progressive in areas such as peacekeeping and normative frameworks, yet, institutional incoherence, funding, and political will continue to stand as challenges. The study closes an important literature gap by undertaking a critical assessmentof how these bodies have moved beyond Cold War legacies to be critical actors on regional security. Using the Regional Security Complex Theory as its analytical framework, the study relies on secondary qualitative data to interrogate historical legacies, assess current institutional capacities, and identify key limitations. Findings reveal that while both organisations have demonstrated capacity for intervention, their efforts are hampered by external dependencies and weak internal mechanisms. The study recommends enhancing institutional capacity, improving coordination, and increasing financial autonomy to enable sustainable, African-ledsecurity responses.