This study analyses the pervasive and apparently intractable intensification of conflict around the world, in the wake of the Cold War; and the failures and limitations of multilateral organisations such as the UN and the African Union to achieve their stated objectives. It makes recommendations so that these organisations can make more assertive and positive contributions to conflict reduction. Specifically on the OAU/AU, the author illustrates that the African Union is not fundamentally different from its predecessor; and that both have failed to implement practical measures designed to build confidence, and regional integration, which he argues, must be an essential component of conflict prevention and peace-building. The author is an expert in International Relations, and Director of the Centre for Strategic and Development Studies, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.