United Nations peacekeeping in Africa: challenges and prospects
In: Globale Herausforderungen - globale Antworten: eine wissenschaftliche Publikation des Bundesministeriums für Landesverteidigung und Sport, p. 449-457
"Colonial and post-colonial rulers often failed to transform African countries into true nations. Therefore, political violence, instability and civil wars endured, prompting external intervention. Peacekeeping and the nature of conflicts changed, forcing the UN to shift and expand its field operations from 'traditional' missions involving strictly military tasks, to complex 'multidimensional' enterprises designed to ensure the Implementation of comprehensive peace agreements and assist in laying the foundations for sustainable peace. The AU is working vigorously to strengthen its capacity and partnership with the UN, but many peacekeeping forces are not self-sustainable, lack suficient logistics and need external support for basic equipment, and medical supplies before deploying. Emphasis should be put on military capabilities, the quality of personnel, Force multipliers, effective deployment, closing gaps between goals and reality, the political will by stakeholders and on managing the ongoing conflict instead of elaborate/expensive outside initiatives." (author's abstract)