Although all African countries had become independent by the end of the twentieth century, many countries continued to be tied to their former colonial powers economically, politically and socially. This relationship brought both benefits and challenges for African states. One downside of this relationship is that it created a relationship of dependency, which, in turn, perpetuated the dominance of the former colonial powers over their former colonies. At the turn of the millennium, and with the transformation of the OAU into the AU, African states sought to forge a new path in which they would minimise or even eliminate their dependence on their former colonial masters. One such area where Africa has sought to be self-sufficient concerns peace and security. The AU has not only adopted a legal framework to make this a reality but also established institutions and put in place mechanisms to respond to threats to regional peace and security. The catchphrase “African solution to African problems” was adopted as a rallying call which seeks to promote the idea of ridding African states of their dependence on outside solutions to resolve African problems. The author submits that it is imperative for the AU to turn the rhetoric into action by garnering the necessary political will that is needed in deploying the said African solutions, regardless of the external forces that may be affected by this action.