scholarly journals Evaluating the Challenges and Opportunities of the Use of Military Diplomacy in Intrastate Conflict Management in the Horn of Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (03) ◽  
pp. 606-625
Author(s):  
Charles Okongo Imbiakha ◽  
Pontian Godfrey Okoth ◽  
Edmond Maloba Were
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Conflict Management ◽  
African Union ◽  
Horn Of Africa ◽  
Intrastate Conflict ◽  
Peace Processes ◽  
Intrastate Conflicts ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Military ◽  
Military Diplomacy

Military diplomacy is increasingly relied on in the management of intra state conflicts globally. Far more common and controversial is the issue of combat troops to help end fighting in an intractable conflict. The Horn of Africa is an epitome of intractable regional intrastate conflicts   that have attracted international, regional and even individual state military and humanitarian intervention since the 1970s. The Somalia and Sudan crises provide typical examples in which such efforts have been witnessed yet they also provide a case study of successful military diplomacy by African states in states engaged in protracted intra-state conflicts. This study was conceived to evaluate the challenges and opportunities of the use of military diplomacy in intrastate conflict management in the Horn of Africa. The study was located in the rational logic theory. It was carried out among peace groups and individuals who had participated in peace processes in the Horn of Africa. These were located in Mogadishu and Kismayu, Khartoum and Juba and embassies in Kenya that represent the Horn of Africa countries. Security personnel who have had a role in the Horn of Africa peace processes at African Union (AU), Inter - Governmental Authority on Development  (IGAD), East Africa Standby Force (EASF), United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), United Nations Africa (Union) Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and African (Union) Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) were key informants. The study used purposive sampling and snowballing to determine the sample size. Data was collected using interview schedules and questionnaires which were analyzed using Concurrent Nested (Embedded) Design. Secondary data were gathered and reviewed from Journals, books and published proceedings that corroborated the primary data. The findings indicate that the obscurity of the military and the rubric in the understanding of military diplomacy poses a challenge for the military to influence intrastate conflicts in the Horn of Africa. This is compounded by other challenges including the Cold War mentality that has made the region to witness a series of foreign activities leading to militarization of the Horn of Africa with establishment of military bases in the Horn of Africa. Peace support operations are expensive to manage yet the missions undertaken in the Horn of Africa lack sustainable source of funds and instead over rely on foreign funding and goodwill. With no sufficient funds, buying equipment and paying the staff becomes a big challenge. Emerging threats and clan dynamics are actualities that the use of military diplomacy was found to face as a challenge. To change these challenges into opportunities requires rational logic from all stakeholders in the conflict management process

Evolving Trends in Peacekeeping: United Nations–African Union Hybrid Peacekeeping Operations (UNAMID) in Darfur

2021 ◽  
pp. 14-25
Author(s):  
Waseem Ishaque
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
State Institution ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
The State ◽  
Security Threats ◽  
African Union ◽  
Peacekeeping Operations ◽  
Sustainable Peace ◽  
Intrastate Conflicts ◽  
Positive Peace

Peacekeeping has become a far more complex and multifaceted phenomenon due to the emerging non-traditional security threats and the changing nature of intrastate conflicts. This paper focuses on the evolving trends in peacekeeping operations and illuminates the transition from 'traditional‘ to a 'robust‘ and 'hybrid‘ peacekeeping model. In doing so, the paper presents the hybrid United Nations and African Union (UN-AU) peacekeeping model as a pilot project in Darfur. It further highlights the extent to which the model proved to be effective and inclusive, and secured financial and troop-contributing obligations jointly by the UN and AU. Furthermore, understanding the dialectics of 'traditional‘ and 'hybrid‘ peacekeeping operations has been analyzed through positive peace. Overall, the article highlights the essential contours of United Nations–African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) transition from AMIS and inquires its contribution towards peacebuilding and developing the state institution, thus ensuring sustainable peace and stability.

Towards a More Integrated Approach? Cooperation Among the UN, AU and IGAD in Mediation Support

2021 ◽  
pp. 261-284
Author(s):  
Jamie Pring
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
African Union ◽  
Horn Of Africa ◽  
Organizational Norms ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Normative Factors ◽  
Mediation Processes

This chapter argues that the interaction of organizational norms and interests influences an organizations’ willingness to lead, collaborate, or compete in mediation processes. Examining the interactions of the United Nations, African Union, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in the Horn of Africa, the chapter finds that while functionalist explanations for cooperation among mediation actors are dominant in the field, they don’t adequately account for cooperation in all types of mediation support. Crucially, functionalist approaches overlook geopolitical and normative factors crucial in forging cooperation in operational support to on-going mediation processes. Therefore, in addition to functional concerns, norms and interests also need to be considered in working towards deeper integration.

Talking to the Shameless?: Sexual Violence and Mediation in Intrastate Conflicts

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (8) ◽  
pp. 1832-1859 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Ulrich Nagel
Keyword(s):  
International Relations ◽  
Conflict Management ◽  
Sexual Violence ◽  
Armed Conflict ◽  
Public Knowledge ◽  
Ir Theory ◽  
Intrastate Conflict ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Intrastate Conflicts ◽  
Gender Lens

To what extent, does sexual violence influence the likelihood of conflict management in intrastate conflicts? Despite a growing body of research that explores conflict-related sexual violence, the literature presents little insight on its effects on conflict resolution. Extending feminist international relations (IR) theory to intrastate conflicts and applying a gender lens to the power to hurt argument, I argue that when rebel sexual violence is public knowledge, the likelihood of conflict management increases because the state perceives it as a threat to its masculinity. I systematically test this argument on all intrastate conflict years from 1990 to 2009 using the Sexual Violence in Armed Conflict and the Civil War Mediation data set. The results provide robust support for the argument. This presents an important refinement of traditional rationalist conflict bargaining theories and opens new avenues for the research and practice of conflict management.

scholarly journals Tony Karbo and Kudrat Virk (eds.): The Palgrave Handbook of Peacebuilding in Africa.

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 81-84
Author(s):  
Mira Abrahamyan
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Management ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
African Union ◽  
Conflict Prevention ◽  
Sustainable Peace ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Regional Organisations ◽  
External Actors

This handbook offers a critical assessment of the African agenda for conflict prevention, peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding; the challenges and opportunities facing Africa’s regional organisations in their efforts towards building sustainable peace on the continent; and the role of external actors, including the United Nations, Britain, France, and South Asian troop-contributing countries. In so doing, it revisits the late Ali Mazrui’s concept of Pax Africana, calling on Africans to take responsibility for peace and security on their own continent. The creation of the African Union, in 2002, was an important step towards realising this ambition, and has led to the development of a new continental architecture for more robust conflict management. But, as the volume’s authors show, the quest for Pax Africana faces challenges. Combining thematic analyses and case studies, this book will be of interest to both scholars and policymakers working on peace, security, and governance issues in Africa.

From a Red Army soldier to a military diplomat

2021 ◽  
pp. 93-97
Author(s):  
A. Isaenko
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
75Th Anniversary ◽  
General Staff ◽  
Red Army ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
The Military ◽  
Military Diplomacy

In No. 5/2020 of our magazine, dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations, it was mentioned that representatives of the military diplomacy took part in the development of the UN Charter: Rear Admiral Rodionov K. K. and Lieutenant General Slavin N. V. This article refers to another military diplomat who was also part of the Soviet delegation to the San Francisco Conference and actively participated in the preparation of the most important UN document, Lieutenant General Vasiliev A. F., an offi cer of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the USSR.

scholarly journals Realizing the Horn of Africa in a New Context: Challenges and Opportunities for Peace in Somalia

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 156-162
Author(s):  
Liban Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Transitional Period ◽  
Eastern Africa ◽  
Islamic State ◽  
Horn Of Africa ◽  
Economic Stability ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Domestic Instability ◽  
Radical Organizations ◽  
The Military

In 1991 growing political pressure and infighting led to the collapse of the Somalia government. Key institutions of governance disintegrated, and public services could no longer be provided. The Somali National Army was amongst the key institutions that collapsed and, in its place, warlords and clan militias emerged to fill the gap. Henceforth for over two decades, these non-state actors competed over control of both political and economic power while other radical organizations such as Al-Shaabab emerged with an objective to establish an Islamic state. This instability thus led to displacement of populations, insecurity both at the domestic and regional level. This thesis seeks to examine how the collapse of Somali impacted the military and why moving forward in the transitional period, reforming the military is vital to the future of Somalia and geopolitical and economic stability. The thesis adopts state building and realism as it theoretical frameworks and argues for the need of military reforms within the conceptual frameworks of security reforms. Specifically, the thesis reiterated that if the Horn of Africa and the greater Eastern Africa region is to experience geopolitical and economic stability, then the SNA should undertake key reforms in order to reinforce its capacity to resolve domestic instability in Somalia which is the causal factor in geopolitical and economic instability caused by threats such as terrorism, piracy, and bilateral tensions between regional states. The study suggests that reforms in the military such institutional capacity building, coordination of security assistance, and establishing civilian oversight over military is critical in reviving the capacity of SNA and with it, the first step towards restoring regional stability.

THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN STRENGTHENING DEMOCRACY

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-131
Author(s):  
Mbuzeni Mathenjwa
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Local Government ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Legal Status ◽  
African Union ◽  
African Countries ◽  
The Status ◽  
Administrative Units

The place and role of local government within the structure of government in Africa has attracted much public interest. Prior to and after independence, African countries used local government as the administrative units of central governments without their having any legal status, to the extent that local authorities were under the strict control of central governments. The autonomy of local government is pivotal in the democratisation of a country. The United Nations, European Union and African Union have adopted treaties to promote the recognition and protection of local government in the state parties’ constitutions. Accordingly, this article explains the status of local government in Africa and its impact on strengthening democracy in African states.

UN Peacekeeping Operations and Successful Military Diplomacy: A Case Study of Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bakare Najimdeen
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Security Council ◽  
United Nations Security Council ◽  
Policy Objective ◽  
Peacekeeping Operations ◽  
Un Peacekeeping ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Peacekeeping Missions ◽  
Military Diplomacy

Few years following its creation, the United Nations (UN) with the blessing of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decided to establish the UN Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO), as a multilateral mechanism geared at fulfilling the Chapter VII of the UN Charter which empowered the Security Council to enforce measurement to maintain or restore international peace and security. Since its creation, the multilateral mechanism has recorded several successes and failures to its credit. While it is essentially not like traditional diplomacy, peacekeeping operations have evolved over the years and have emerged as a new form of diplomacy. Besides, theoretically underscoring the differences between diplomacy and foreign policy, which often appear as conflated, the paper demonstrates how diplomacy is an expression of foreign policy. Meanwhile, putting in context the change and transformation in global politics, particularly global conflict, the paper argues that traditional diplomacy has ceased to be the preoccupation and exclusive business of the foreign ministry and career diplomats, it now involves foot soldiers who are not necessarily diplomats but act as diplomats in terms of peacekeeping, negotiating between warring parties, carrying their countries’ emblems and representing the latter in resolving global conflict, and increasingly becoming the representation of their countries’ foreign policy objective, hence peacekeeping military diplomacy. The paper uses decades of Pakistan’s peacekeeping missions as a reference point to establish how a nation’s peacekeeping efforts represent and qualifies as military diplomacy. It also presented the lessons and good practices Pakistan can sell to the rest of the world vis-à-vis peacekeeping and lastly how well Pakistan can consolidate its peacekeeping diplomacy.

Stepping back from the brink: Why multilateral regulation of autonomy in weapons systems is difficult, yet imperative and feasible

2020 ◽  
Vol 102 (913) ◽  
pp. 235-259
Author(s):  
Frank Sauer
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Arms Control ◽  
Use Of Force ◽  
Human Control ◽  
Conventional Weapons ◽  
United Nations Convention ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
The Military ◽  
Weapons Systems

AbstractThis article explains why regulating autonomy in weapons systems, entailing the codification of a legally binding obligation to retain meaningful human control over the use of force, is such a challenging task within the framework of the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. It is difficult because it requires new diplomatic language, and because the military value of weapon autonomy is hard to forego in the current arms control winter. The article argues that regulation is nevertheless imperative, because the strategic as well as ethical risks outweigh the military benefits of unshackled weapon autonomy. To this end, it offers some thoughts on how the implementation of regulation can be expedited.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document