More troops are positioning themselves in Africa to participate in peacekeeping operations. Tens of thousands of them have been stationed in nations where insurgencies and civil conflicts have broken out, significantly harming the citizens of such countries and destabilising the areas around them.
Political commentators have responded in a variety of ways. Some have praised the role of foreign interventions, while others have criticised the action and stated that Africans should address African problems with African solutions.
The main goals of peacekeeping operations are often to safeguard people and assist them in lessening some of the harshest effects of conflict. Because of this, soldiers are typically sent in from various nations, while occasionally, international organisations like the United Nations and the African Union send their troops to help in the conflict.
Conflicts, women, and peacekeeping
When a battle breaks out, women are the group most at risk. They deal with serious issues like verbal and physical abuse, as well as sexual violence. Usually, it reaches a point when there are obstacles left over from the conflict, making it impossible for them to obtain resources or to have their human rights respected.
Gender equality can be undermined by war, which causes women and girls to miss out on opportunities for health, education, and other economic benefits. As a result, these women and girls are forced into underage marriages. It is important to remember that women and young girls suffer from conflict and actively promote peace and resilience.
Does peacekeeping impact women?
When peacekeeping teams are dispatched to the continent, positive and negative effects on women can arise. These effects can be direct or indirect. For example, peace missions sent to Africa may assist in preventing gender-based violence against women, particularly in locations where women are more likely to experience sexual assault and harassment. Women feel a little bit safer and better protected when peace missions are dispatched, which adds to their general security and the stability of post-conflict situations. Women who are rebuilding after a conflict may find this helpful.
Once more, it aids in promoting women’s rights during peacekeeping missions, which in turn contributes to the total contribution of women’s rights in society. This entails pushing for equitable access to opportunities and resources and legislative changes. On the downside, it’s also crucial to remember that there are hits and misses. This means that individuals assigned to maintain peace occasionally face the fallout, which can have particularly detrimental effects on women in conflict areas.
Let’s now look at different peacekeeping missions.
and their impacts on Africa’s political landscape.
They Include:
The conflict has plagued Somalia for a very long time. Because of this, Amison of the African Union has spearheaded initiatives to bring the nation back to peace. They have been concentrating on dealing with the Alshabaab group in the country through Amison.
Despite the government’s recent resurgence, al-Shabaab has taken advantage of Somalia’s weakness since its founding in 2006 to take control of substantial areas of ungoverned territory. The terrorist organisation peaked in 2011 when it gained partial control of Mogadishu, the country’s capital, and Kismayo, a strategically important port.
Later that year, Kenyan forces entered Somalia as part of AMISOM and effectively drove al-Shabaab out of the majority of its strongholds. Following the 2011 intervention, al-Shabaab has launched over 150 attacks in Kenya, a longstanding ally of the United States. After this, the mission in Somalia has been waging state-building and counterterrorism operations to bring the conflict under control.
Notwithstanding AMISOM’s most significant efforts, difficulties have persisted despite their best efforts. And if this happens, it implies that political unrest will keep happening, making the issue even more complicated.
The UN Security Council created it in resolutions 1279 (1999) and 1291 (2000) to oversee the Second Congo War peace process, while most of its attention later shifted to the Ituri, Kivu, and Dongo conflicts. Its job is to assist in establishing stability and peace in the DRC.
As a result, MONUSCO has played a significant role in resolving disputes and promoting state institutions. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) would face further difficulties with state governance, political instability, and a rise in armed conflict in the absence of MONUSCO. This endeavour has greatly aided the nation’s vast territory and the intricate local matches accompanying it.
The Security Council formally launched the African Union-UN hybrid operation in Darfur on July 31, 2007, by adopting Resolution 1769, often known as UNAMID, in Chapter VII of the UN Charter. Officially, AMIS was replaced by UNAMID on December 31, 2007.
Since its deployment to Sudan, UNAMID has focused on conflict resolution by carefully considering safeguarding civilians who suffer the direct consequences of warfare. When it comes down to it, a peacemaking mission serves to protect the detrimental effects of the war on minorities because, in many cases, the people in positions of power only endure the war indirectly. Since then, UNAMIS has observed peacebuilding initiatives in the nation ravaged by conflict.
It is reasonable to state that, despite UNAMIS’s best attempts to keep the conflict under control, Sudan’s political landscape has changed significantly, even to the point of splitting the nation in half. Political commentators in the country, however, have criticised the division of the government into two, claiming that this is the reason for the rise in violence. Thus, the larger political scene is still complicated as of right now.
Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG)
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) established the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), a multinational military force in West Africa. ECOMOG was a legal agreement that allowed different militaries to collaborate. The Nigerian Armed Forces provided the majority of its workforce and resources.
At the same time, other ECOWAS nations, including Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and others, contributed sub-battalion-level troops. Since then, it has been instrumental in restoring stability to the area. ECOMOG witnessed the establishment of democratic governance in one case.
Having more of these peacekeeping operations in Africa would be more critical. Togetherness with other nations will result from this, and both sides will support continental cooperation. It would be more important to state that the benefits of peace missions exceed the drawbacks, even when different important figures have different opinions.
