1 / 12

PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED

PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED. Prof Theo Neethling & Lt Col Abel Esterhuyse Faculty of Military Science (Military Academy), Stellenbosch University. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED. Aim :

ova
Download Presentation

PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Prof Theo Neethling & Lt Col Abel Esterhuyse Faculty of Military Science (Military Academy), Stellenbosch University

  2. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Aim: Outline key issues regarding the strategic and operational management of multinational peace missions in Africa. Africa: Ops Challenges & Hostile ops environment. • International reluctance to assume military and financial responsibility • Greater emphasis on the responsibility of regional & sub-regional organisations

  3. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Generic Challenges Rooted in: • the multinational effort that is required; • Political will of the participating states. “Non-conventional Operations”: • Force projection over vast distances • Long-rang / sustained log support • Geographical challenges - climate, terrain & infrastructure • Combined ops Creation of the African Union: • Resources • Improved structural ability & political will • Future success?

  4. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Political Unison Political Objectives - Co-ordinate national interests & synthesis into a common strategy. ECOMOG: Rivalry and suspicion compounded the ECOWAS political environment. SADC: Militaristic ethos & illegal exploitation of natural resources.

  5. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Mission & Mandate Needs: • Clear mandates and rules of engagement. • Understanding of political and humanitarian objectives • Translatable into military endstates. • M&M should be in line with realities on the ground. • Pragmatism & flexibility

  6. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Mandate vs Means • Financial assistance • Logistical and organisational problems • Obsolete Military equipment • Training difficulties • Force projection - ground, air and sea transportation • National Log support system • Morale of the forces • Effective log support • Payment of peacekeepers

  7. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Co-ordination and Unity of Effort • States retain their autonomy and sovereignty: • C2, rules of engagement, discipline & personnel procedures • Contending national priorities: • political differences & disagreements between participating states • Lack of co-ordination between & within mission elements pose military problems: • C2 • Joint doctrine & directing / co-ordinating civilian and military ops • Processes within the mandates of the missions - actions & conduct • Lack of interoperability and SOP’s - French & British / Chinese & Russian doctrines in Africa

  8. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Intelligence Collection Capabilities No intelligence >>>> No Operations Africa: • Lack of intelligence on local inhabitants, culture, beliefs and customs. • Basic Geographical information - Maps Problems: • UN don’t want to compromise its impartiality • Reluctance of nations to share the info gathering capabilities • Lack of secure communications

  9. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Media Relations Perceptions: • Peacekeepers • Local Population • Public at large Exploitation of the Media & Media is a powerful instrument Friction between media and peacekeepers Problem for Peacekeepers: How to counter hostile propaganda “…finding and explaining the realities of providing ‘peace’ in this new era is as much a job for soldiers as it is for scribes”Dobell, G

  10. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Military Civilian Interaction • Peace Missions: Civilian presence on all levels of ops • Increase in the number of NGOs • Civil-Mil co-ordination: distribution of supplies, management of refugees, organising medical support • Problems: C3, Tension between NGO’s and military, Clash of cultures and values • Delicate relationship between peacekeepers, host government, parties to the conflict and local population • Civil-Military Operation Centre • Minimum force & non violent approaches • Advantages of using African troops for African problems.

  11. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Africa: Languages & Military culture of former colonial powers Different Value Systems: • Gender Integration • Discipline over troops • Cultural Differences • Ethical Standards - black market activities, prostitution, looting, etc

  12. PEACE MISSIONS IN AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED Closing Remarks Peace Missions in Africa: • Missions are not simple and easy. • Sources of conflict are both diverse and endemic. • Hostile operational environment . • Burden for resolving conflicts rests more and more on Africans

More Related