South Africa, the African union and international intervention in Libya: A critical appraisal

For many human rights activists, the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 - in favour of a no-fly zone in Libya - was an indication that The Responsibility to Protect as a project, endorsed by the international community in 2005, was coming closer to being solidified as an 'actionable norm.' However, soon after the initial stage of implementing UNSC Resolution 1973 in March 2011, the South African government appealed to international actors to respect the unity and territorial integrity of Libya. They also rejected any foreign military intervention in Libya. Likewise, the African Union (AU) stated that they also strongly opposed any foreign military intervention in Libya, and that the country's sovereignty should be respected by the international community, especially Western countries. This article aims to critically examine and explore the official South African stance and the AU's role on the African continent shortly after the first aerial attacks were launched on targets in Libya, until the killing of Muammar Gaddafi by Libyan rebels in October 2011.