斯德哥尔摩国际和平研究所-African-Directions_-Towards-an-Equitable-Partnership-in-Peace-Operations_63页_1mb

Summary of "AFRICAN DIRECTIONS: Towards an Equitable Partnership in Peace Operations"

Core Content

This report, AFRICAN DIRECTIONS: Towards an Equitable Partnership in Peace Operations, is the final output of the SIPRI New Geopolitics of Peace Operations II (NGP II) Initiative. It examines the evolving landscape of peace operations in Africa, emphasizing the need for a more balanced and equitable global-regional partnership between African actors and external stakeholders. The report is based on six regional dialogue meetings involving over 150 participants from various African subregions and international organizations, and it provides insights into the future of peace operations and the way forward for international cooperation in the continent.

Main Views and Key Information

1. African Security Environment and Peace Operations

• Current and Future Challenges: African participants highlighted that security challenges are increasingly transnational and non-traditional, including terrorism, organized crime, piracy, and climate change-related issues.
• Multidimensional Focus: Peace operations need to shift focus from traditional military missions to multidimensional and civilian-led approaches.
• Transnational Mandates: There is a growing need for peace operations to be based on transnational or regional mandates rather than solely UN-led missions.
• African Leadership: African states and organizations are increasingly willing to take the lead in peace operations, especially in subregions like the Sahel-Saharan and the Greater Horn of Africa.

2. African Capabilities and Capacities

• Limited Contributions: Only a few African countries currently contribute the majority of troops to peace operations in Africa.
• Need for Strengthening: African capabilities need to be enhanced with support from external actors, especially in areas such as intelligence, surveillance, and modern military equipment.
• Diversification: The troop-contributing pool should be diversified to ensure a more balanced and sustainable peace operations framework.
• Financial Contributions: African actors should increase their financial contributions to peace operations to reduce dependency on external donors.

3. Coordination and Inclusivity

• Global-Regional Partnerships: Coordination between the UN, the African Union (AU), and African Regional Economic Communities (RECs)/Regional Mechanisms (RMs) is essential.
• Subsidiarity Principle: There is a need for a clearer understanding and agreement on the subsidiarity principle to ensure that issues are addressed at the most appropriate level.
• Inclusive Strategy: A common integrated strategy should involve local civil society actors in strategic decision-making processes.
• Transparency and Accountability: Both African actors and external partners must be held accountable for their roles and contributions in peace operations.

4. Policy Implications

• Mandates: Peace operations should be designed with more regional and transnational mandates.
• Cooperation: Strengthening strategic partnerships and cooperation between African and external actors is crucial.
• Coordination: There is a need for better coordination mechanisms between the UN, AU, and regional actors.
• Equitable Partnership: A balanced and equitable partnership requires mutual respect, local ownership, and financial and operational self-reliance.

Research Questions Addressed

The report provides insights into the following five research questions:

1. Types of Conflict and Security Challenges: The report outlines the anticipated security challenges in different African subregions and the continent as a whole over the next 5–10 years.
2. Future Peace Operations: It explores the types of peace operations needed to address these challenges and how current international and regional responses should evolve.
3. African Contributions: It assesses the potential contributions African states and organizations can make to future peace operations.
4. External Contributions: It identifies the types of support likely to be required from external countries and organizations.
5. Improving Cooperation: It investigates how international cooperation can be enhanced to ensure a more balanced and equitable global-regional partnership.

Methodology

• The research was conducted through regional dialogue meetings in five African subregions: West Africa, the Greater Horn of Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, and Sahel-Saharan Africa.
• These meetings were co-organized and funded by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) and included African experts, military officials, civil society representatives, and international organization delegates.
• The meetings were designed as focus groups to generate insights into the future of peace operations and the perceptions of different stakeholders.
• The findings were further enriched by interviews with African and external stakeholders and a comprehensive literature review.

Conclusion

The report concludes that Africa is set to be a major arena for the evolution of peace operations, with the potential for increased African leadership and participation. It underscores the importance of enhancing African capabilities, diversifying troop contributions, and improving coordination mechanisms between African and external actors. A truly equitable partnership will require prioritizing local populations, increasing African ownership, and ensuring accountability and transparency in the conduct of peace operations.