▁and ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁African ▁Union ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁set ▁the ▁respect ▁for ▁the ▁territorial ▁integrity ▁of ▁each ▁state ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁principles ▁in ▁O AU ▁Char ter . ▁Indeed , ▁compared ▁with ▁the ▁formation ▁of ▁European ▁states , ▁there ▁have ▁been ▁fewer ▁inter state ▁conflicts ▁in ▁Africa ▁for ▁changing ▁the ▁borders , ▁which ▁has ▁influenced ▁the ▁state ▁formation ▁there ▁and ▁has ▁enabled ▁some ▁states ▁to ▁surv ive ▁that ▁might ▁have ▁been ▁defeated ▁and ▁absor bed ▁by ▁others . ▁Yet ▁inter state ▁conflicts ▁have ▁played ▁out ▁by ▁support ▁for ▁proxy ▁arm ies ▁or ▁re bel ▁movements . ▁Many ▁states ▁have ▁experienced ▁civil ▁wars : ▁including ▁R w anda , ▁Sud an , ▁Ang ola , ▁Sierra ▁Le one , ▁Congo , ▁Liber ia , ▁Eth iop ia ▁and ▁Som alia . ▁ ▁The ▁boundary ▁mark ing ▁a ▁civil ▁war ▁is ▁bl ur red ▁in ▁Africa ▁as ▁many ▁civil ▁wars ▁involved ▁foreign ▁back ers ▁if ▁not ▁active ▁bell iger ents . ▁Lib ya ' s ▁act ively ▁interven ed ▁into ▁Ch ad ▁with ▁air ▁forces , ▁and ▁France ▁ret ali ated ▁with ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁other ▁side . ▁ ▁Sud an ▁experienced ▁a ▁prolong ed ▁civil ▁war , ▁resulting ▁in ▁the ▁separation ▁of ▁South ▁Sud an ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁state . ▁Similar ▁to ▁South ▁Sud an , ▁E rit rea ▁won ▁independence ▁from ▁Eth iop ia . ▁ ▁Congo ' s ▁civil ▁war ▁involved ▁seven ▁states , ▁among ▁them ▁Z imb ab we , ▁R w anda , ▁and