UN Peacekeeping in Africa Needs Representation Reform and Effective Strategies

By Darius Spearman (africanelements)

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KEY TAKEAWAYS
The UN Security Council’s lack of African representation hampers peacekeeping.
The “stabilisation” mission approach often lacks clarity and fails to address the root causes of conflict.
MINUSMA’s closure in Mali raises concerns over security and human rights.
Proposed reforms like the Action for Peacekeeping initiative aim to improve mission effectiveness.
Regional coordination with the African Union is necessary to enhance peacekeeping efforts.
Involvement of African states in peacekeeping is crucial for political stability on the continent.

UN Peacekeeping in Africa: Challenges and Reforms

The United Nations’ peacekeeping efforts in Africa face significant hurdles. These operations, meant to maintain peace and security, often struggle to achieve their goals. The UN Security Council’s handling of African conflicts has come under scrutiny, raising questions about its effectiveness and legitimacy.

Representation and Decision-Making

A major issue plaguing UN peacekeeping in Africa is the lack of African representation on the UN Security Council. This absence has far-reaching implications for peacekeeping decisions. Despite Africa being the focus of nearly 50% of the Security Council’s meetings and 70% of its resolutions over the last 30 years, the continent lacks a permanent seat on the council (The Conversation).

This lack of representation contributes to a credibility crisis in the UN’s ability to address African conflicts effectively. The underrepresentation affects the legitimacy and effectiveness of peacekeeping operations in Africa. African issues dominate the Security Council’s agenda but often lack the necessary representation to influence outcomes.

Effectiveness of Peacekeeping Missions

UN peacekeeping operations in Africa have evolved from simple cease-fire monitoring to complex state-building efforts. However, the effectiveness of these missions, particularly the “stabilisation” approach, has come under criticism.

The “stabilisation” mission approach has been criticized for its lack of clarity and its focus on extending state authority without addressing local drivers of conflict. This approach has been pursued in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, and the Central African Republic but has proven largely ineffective (The Conversation).

• The term “stabilisation” is often vague, leading to unclear objectives and activities.
• These missions focus on neutralizing non-state armed groups and extending state authority, which may not address the root causes of conflict.
• The approach fails to consider local drivers of conflict, leading to ineffective outcomes.
• Examples from missions in the DRC and Mali highlight the limitations and failures of this approach.

Challenges and Failures

UN peacekeeping missions in Africa face numerous challenges, including budget constraints, complex mandates, and local drivers of conflict. The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) serves as a prime example of these difficulties.

MINUSMA was established in 2013 to address the Malian state’s collapse due to terrorist and rebel assaults. However, the mission struggled to protect civilians effectively, with 2020 being the bloodiest year for civilians in Mali. Despite its limitations, MINUSMA played a vital role in supervising and investigating human rights violations (The Conversation).

The end of the MINUSMA mission in 2023 highlights the complexities and negative implications of ending such missions. This closure will have significant consequences for security and human rights in Mali, demonstrating the challenges faced by UN peacekeeping operations in Africa.

Reforms and Future Directions

In response to these challenges, several reforms are being proposed to improve UN peacekeeping in Africa. The Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative, launched by UN Secretary-General António Guterres in 2018, aims to develop more targeted peacekeeping mandates, improve the safety of peacekeepers and civilians, and enhance training (Council on Foreign Relations).

• The A4P initiative focuses on developing clear political strategies and improving safety.
• There is a need for better coordination with regional blocs like the African Union (AU) to avoid overlap and enhance effectiveness.
• Experts advocate for more women peacekeepers and additional regional-led missions.
• The proposal includes a “new generation” of AU-led operations financed by UN member nations.

These reforms aim to address the shortcomings of current peacekeeping approaches and improve the effectiveness of missions in Africa. The involvement of African states in peacekeeping is vital, and their contributions have shaped contemporary African politics and international relations.

As the UN continues to grapple with the challenges of peacekeeping in Africa, it is clear that significant changes are needed. The lack of African representation on the Security Council, the limitations of the “stabilisation” approach, and the need for more targeted and effective missions all point to the necessity of comprehensive reform. The future of UN peacekeeping in Africa will depend on the successful implementation of these reforms and the continued engagement of both international and regional actors.

FAQ

Q: What are the main challenges facing UN peacekeeping in Africa?
A: UN peacekeeping in Africa faces challenges such as lack of African representation on the Security Council, budget constraints, complex mandates, and ineffective approaches like the “stabilisation” mission.

Q: How does the lack of representation on the Security Council impact peacekeeping?
A: The absence of African representation leads to a credibility crisis and affects the legitimacy and effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, despite Africa being a focus of many Security Council discussions.

Q: What reforms are being proposed for UN peacekeeping in Africa?
A: Proposed reforms include the Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative aimed at developing clear peacekeeping mandates, improving safety, enhancing training, and coordinating better with regional bodies like the African Union.

Q: What was the significance of the MINUSMA mission in Mali?
A: Established in 2013, MINUSMA aimed to stabilize Mali but struggled with protecting civilians, highlighting the broader challenges of UN peacekeeping in high-conflict areas.

Q: What is the focus of the “stabilisation” approach in peacekeeping?
A: The “stabilisation” approach aims to extend state authority but has been criticized for lacking clarity and failing to address underlying local drivers of conflict.

Q: How is the UN addressing the need for more diverse peacekeeping forces?
A: There is a push for increased participation of women peacekeepers and encouragement of regional-led missions as part of enhancing peacekeeping effectiveness.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darius Spearman is a professor of Black Studies at San Diego City College, where he has been teaching since 2007. He is the author of several books, including Between The Color Lines: A History of African Americans on the California Frontier Through 1890. You can visit Darius online at africanelements.org.