PERSPECTIVE PEACE AND SECURITY A COOPERATION OF VARIABLE GEOMETRY The African Union and Regional Economic Communities Amandine Gnanguênon August 2019 Africa’s collective security system was born of the gap between continental ambi­tions and regional realities. Cooperation between the African Union(AU) and the Regional Economic Commu­nities(RECs) is of a variable geometry. With the African Peace and Security Architecture(APSA) beset by persistent political and operational challenges, AU member states seek the proper scope of action to counter a variety of threats – knowing that ad hoc coali­tions weaken the AU-RECs ­relationship.