Burden-­sharing and hybrid peacekeeping operations in Somalia and Sudan: a critical analysis

Abstract

English: This study explores whether hybrid peacekeeping operations, or recent forms of UN-­ AU co-­operation, offer new prospects or opportunities to the challenges relating to international peacekeeping in Africa. It further analyses whether the international community is moving towards more effective and legitimate peacekeeping operations when it follows an approach of hybrid peacekeeping operations in Africa. Through historical-­critical examinations of case studies of peacekeeping operations in Liberia, Burundi, Darfur, and Somalia, the study interrogates the evolution and practicality of key concepts such as R2P, mandates and legal underpinning, and the UN and AU architectures for peacekeeping operations. The study found that peacekeeping has shifted to include the three components (civilian, police, and military), making peacekeeping operations multidimensional in scope and approach. The cooperative security partnership between the UN and AU and sub-­regional organisations, such as ECOWAS in Liberia and AU in Burundi, have demonstrated the significance of a cooperative venture towards lasting peace. The relationship between these two organisations -­ the UN and AU -­ is of paramount importance, and must be based on coherent and strategically structured relations which are systematically integrated. The implementation of hybrid peacekeeping operations offers new prospects or opportunities if the UN and AU use the advantages these possess to bring about peace, despite the challenges being faced. The study has shown how limited traditional interventions led to the innovative hybridisation but also made the case for the need to refine the response. The ultimate conclusion is that the resource and political constraints faced by the AU would benefit from the solid shared international responsibility provided by the comparative advantage of hybridisation. The study concluded that the UN and AU relationship and cooperation over the past two decades presents significant steps toward operations that would contribute to lasting peace in Africa. The lessons provided by the Liberia, Burundi, Darfur, and Somalia cases offer an instructive foundation for both the UN and AU to improve on an evolving approach. Lessons can be learned from the conflicts analysed in the study, and the international community has the advantage of working towards better and more refined hybrid peacekeeping operations than those conducted in Darfur and Somalia.

Afrikaans: Dié studie doen ʼn ondersoek na die vraag of hibriede vredesbewaring of hedendaagse vorme van VN-­AU samewerking nuwe vooruitsigte of geleenthede bied aangaande die uitdagings wat met internasionale vredesbewaring in Afrika verband hou. Die studie analiseer ook die vraag of die internasionale gemeenskap tans na meer doeltreffende en legitieme vredesbewaring beweeg deur middel van hibriede vredesbewaring in Afrika. Aan die hand van ʼn histories-­kritiese ondersoek met betrekking tot gevalle-­studies van vredesbewaring in Liberië, Burundi, Darfoer en Somalië, ondersoek die studie die ontwikkeling en praktiese beslag van konsepte soos R2P, mandate en regsgeldigheid, asook die VN en AU institusionele raamwerke vir vredesbewaring. Die studie het bevind dat vredesbewaring geskuif het om drie komponente in te sluit, naamlik burgerlik, polisie en militêr, waardeur vredesbewaring multidimensioneel in fokus en benadering geword het. Die samewerkende veiligheidsvennootskappe tussen die VN, AU en streeksorganisasies, waaronder ECOWAS in Liberië en die AU in Burundi, demonstreer voorts die betekenisvolheid van samewerkende ondernemings om volhoubare vrede moontlik te maak. Die verhoudinge tussen eersgenoemde organisasies, die VN en die AU, is van die grootste belang en moet berus op samebindende en strategiese verhoudinge wat sistematies tot integrasie gebring is. Die implementering van hibriede vredesbewaringsoperasies lewer daarom nuwe vooruitsigte en geleenthede waar die VN en die AU die voordele wat sulke operasies bied, kan aanwend met betrekking tot die uitdagings wat die hoof gebied moet word. Die studie toon hoe beperkte tradisionele intervensies gelei het tot innoverende hibridisering en wys ook op die behoefte vir verdere verfyning. Die gevolgtrekking is dat die tekort aan hulpbronne en politieke tekortkominge van die AU kan baat by ʼn behoorlike en gedeelde internasionale verantwoordelikheid vir vredesbewaring en dit wat voordelig is aangaande hibridisering. Die studie se slotsom is dat die VN en die AU se verhouding en samewerking oor die afgelope twee dekades betekenisvolle stappe verteenwoordig sover dit wedersydse bydraes betref om volhoubare vrede in Afrika moontlik te maak. Die lesse wat geleer is in Liberië, Burundi, Darfoer en Somalië bied ook ʼn fondasie aan die VN en die AU om hulle benadering te verbeter. Lesse kan geleer word uit die konflikte wat in die studie geanaliseer is en die internasionale gemeenskap het nou die voordeel om te werk vir beter en meer verfynde hibriede vredesbewaringsoperasies na afloop van dit wat in Darfoer en Somalië afgespeel het.