Establishment of Force Intervention Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo Implications for United Nations Peace Operations
Main Article Content
Keywords
Conflict, Democratic Republic of Congo, Intervention Brigade, United Nations, Peacekeeping
Abstract
The UN Force Intervention Brigade conceived as the UN’s first combat force fundamentally challenges the tenets of traditional peace operations. It is seen as the UN’s best chance at ending the cycle of violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).The eastern portion of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been host to one of the longest, most complex, and brutal conflicts despite 21-year presence of the United Nations Mission in Congo. As many as a dozen foreign and local armed groups continue to threaten civilians in the region every year including former Rwandan Hutu genocidaires in the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), the Ugandan rebel group, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), and local militia groups known as Mai-Mai. Though currently inactive due to on-going peace negotiations with the Congolese Government, the M23 rebel group has been of concern over the past year due to their strength and brutality. This paper examines the implications of the establishment of the Force Intervention Brigade for United Nations Peace Operations. The Intervention Brigade is unique because of both its expansive mandate to take offensive action against illegal armed groups and its robust military capabilities.
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References
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Paris,R.(2004). At War’s End: Building Peace After civil Conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511790836
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Autessenre,S (2008) .The Trouble with Congo: How Local Disputes Fuel Regional Conflict .Foreign Affairs 87(3) May/June 2008. https://doi.org/10.1093/afraf/adr080
Autessenre, S (2012). Dangerous Tales: Dominant Narratives on the Congo and their Unintended Consequences. African Affairs.111 (443), 202-222.
Axworthy,L. (2001). Human Security and Global Governance: Putting People First. Global Governance.7 (1), 19-23. https://doi.org/10.1163/19426720-00701004
Background, United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo website:http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/post/monuc/background.shtml(accessed 6th June 2014).
BBC(2010) UN Offical Calls DR Congo Rape Capital of the world” BBC News April 28th 2010 avalaible at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8650112.stm
Barnett,M & Duvall,R.(2004). Power in Global Governance In M.Barnett and R.Duvall (Eds) Power in Global Governance (1-32). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511491207
Bourdieu,P. (1977). Outline of a Theory of Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511812507
Buchanan,A.,& Keohane,R. (2006).The Legitimacy of Global Governance Institutions. Ethics and International Affairs, 20(4)405-437. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-7093.2006.00043.x
Bienvenu,B.(2015). UN Congo Attack Burundi Rebels Ahead of Drive Against Rwandan FDLR. Reuters January 6,2015.
Carvalho de ,G.(2018) How can South Africa Champion Peacekeeping in the UN Security Counci.website: www.africaupclose.wilsoncentre.org 8th November
Congo Research Group (2017) Mass Killings in Beni Territory: Political Violence, Cover-ups and Co-optation. September.
Confidential Interview with a military officer who served with the United Nations Mission in Serra Leone.
Coghlan,B etal (2007). Mortality in the Democratic Republic of Congo: An ongoing Crisis .International Rescue Committee website:www.rescue.org/sites/default/files/mgrated/resources/2007/2006-7-congo-mortalitysurvey.pdf
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Fre’chette,L. (2012). UN Peacekeeping: 20 Years of Reform .Waterloo, ON: The Centre for International Governance Innovation.
Gallo,C&Vogel,C.(2013). UN Elite Force Raises the Stakes in DRC. Al Jazeera 16 July 2013.website:http://www.alijazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/07/2013715950157796872.htm (accessed 10 June 2014).
Gérard,P. (2009). Africa’s World War: Congo, the Rwandan Genocide, and the Making of a Continental Catastrophe: Congo, the Rwandan Genocide, and the Making of a Continental Catastrophe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Filip,R. (2009).The Great African War: Congo and Regional Geopolitics, 1996–2006. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hansen,L.(2011). Performing Practices: A Poststructuralist Analysis of the Muhammad Cartoon Crisis. In E. Adler and V. Pouliot (Ed), International Practices (280-309). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511862373.016
HumanRight Watch (2009)DR Congo: Chronology website: http://www.hrw.org/news/2009/08/20/dr-congo-chronology-key-events(accessed 9th June 2014).
Hurd,I (2007) After Anarchy:Legitmacy and power in the United Nations Security Council Princeton,NJ:Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400827749
International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (2001). The Responsibility to protect .Ottawa: International Development Research Centre.
Lars,M. (2015). The Force Intervention Brigade :United Nations Forces beyond the Fine Line Between Peacekeeping and Peace Enforcement.Conflcit Security Law.20(3);359-380. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcsl/krv005
Long, N. (2015) .Uganda ADF Rebel Commander Killed in Congo. Voice of America, April 29, 2015.
Newman,E (2009) Liberal ‘Peace building debates In E. Newman., R. Paris and O. P.Richmond (Eds) New Perspectives on Liberal Peace building (26-53). Tokyo: United Nations University Press.
Nkala,O (2012). Uganda Pleads For UN Support For Deployment of 400 strong Neutral Force in Eastern DR Congo The Daily Journalist October 17 2012 www.thedailyjournalist.com/worlduganda-pleads-for-UN-support-for-dployment-of-4000-strong-force-in-eastern-dr congo
Paris,R, (2002). International Peace building and the Mission Civilisatrice. Review of International Studies. 28(4), 637-656. https://doi.org/10.1017/S026021050200637X
Paris,R. (1997). Peace building and the Limits of Liberal Internationalism. International Security. 22 (2), 54-89. https://doi.org/10.1162/isec.22.2.54
Paris,R.(2004). At War’s End: Building Peace After civil Conflict. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511790836
Perry,C. & Smith,A .(2013). Trends in Uniformed Contributions to UN Peacekeeping: A New Dataset, 1991-2012. New York: International Peace Institute.
Peter,F.(2014). Is the Force Intervention Brigade Neutral .ISS Africa. Institute For Security Studies.www.issafrica.org (accessed 26th October 2020).
Plett,B (2012).UN under fire over fall of Goma in DR Congo,BBC News,21 November 2012.website:http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-20422340(accessed 9th June 2014).
Report of the Secretary-General UNSCS/2019/905, 26 November 2019.
Reuters,21 August,2019
Reus-Smit,C. (2005). Liberal Hierarchy and the licence to use force. In D. Armstrong, T. Farrell, and B. Maiguashca (Ed), Legitimacy in World Politics (71-92). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511622021.005
Saleh, M.(2015) Congo UN Take On northeast Rebels Group Together After Earlier Cooperation Associated Press June 10. www.usnews.com/news/world/articles2015/06/10congo-army-un-take-on-rebelgroup-in-northeast
Sunguta,W(2015). The Rise of ADF-NALU in Central Africa and its Connection to Al-Shabaab. The Jamestown Foundation Terrorism Monitor 13,(1) January 9.
Schaefer,C.D.(2010).Local Practices and Normative Frameworks in Peacebuilding.,International Peacekeeping.17(4),499-514. https://doi.org/10.1080/13533312.2010.516659
Stearns,J (2012) From CNDP to M23: The Evolution of an Armed Movement in Eastern Congo. Rift Valley Institute Usalama Project 2012.website:www.inecusip.org/resources/cndp-m23-evolution-armed-movement-eastern-congo
Stearns, J and Vogel, C (2015) The landscape of Armed Groups in the Eastern Congo. Congo Research Group and Centre on International Cooperation at New York University December 2015 p.5
Statement of Ambassador Gert Rosenthal, Permanent Representative of Guatemala to the United Nations (2013). Wrap-up session of the work of the Security Council During the current Month, “Permanent Mission of Guatemala to the United Nations 30 April 2013website:http://www.guatemalaun.org/bin/documents/scun-wrap-upsession-30April 2013.pdf (accessed 10 June 2014)
Tardy,T. (2011). A Critique of Robust Peacekeeping in Contemporary Peace Operations. International Peacekeeping.18 (2)152-167. https://doi.org/10.1080/13533312.2011.546089
UN Envoy tells Security Council there is ‘renewed opportunity’ for DR Congo Peace efforts website: https://news.un.org/en/story/2013/05/438932-un-envoy-tells-security-council-there-renewed-opportunity-dr-congo-peace(accessed 6th June 2014).
United Nations Security Council Special Report of the Secretary General on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great lakes Region UN Doc S/2013/119 Feb 27 2013 avalaible at reliefweb.nt/site/reliefwebint/files/resources/special%20report%20of%the secretarygeneral1%20on%20Democratic.pdf
UN News Centre (2013) Ban Calls on Security Council to authorize intervention brigade for DR Congo website:http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=44290U5CGQRafwl (accessed 5th June 2014).
UN Security Council Resolution 2098 (2013) United Nations Security Council 28th March 2013website:http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B6BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF%7DISres2098.pdf (accessed 27 May 2014).
United Nations (1992) An Agenda for peace: preventive Diplomacy, peacemaking and peacekeeping, 17th June 1992 website: http://www.unrol.org/files/A47277.pdf (accessed 2 July 2014).
United Nations (2000). Report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations. New York: United Nations.
United Nations Department of peacekeeping Operations (2008). United Nations Peacekeeping Operations: Principles and Guidelines. New York: United Nations.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1279 (1999) United Nations Security Council,30 November 1999.website:,http;//daccess-ddny.un.org/doc/UNDoc/GEN/n99/368/17/pdf/N9936817.pdf.openElement(accessed 9th June 2014).
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1925(2010) United Nations Security 28th May2010.website:http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/viewdoc.asp?symbol=S/RES/1925 2010 (accessed 9th June 2014).
Zahra,M.(2016). UN Peacekeepers in the DR no longer trusted to protect. Al Jazeera.18th January.website: www.aljazeera.com (accessed 26th October 2020).
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Feb 18, 2025
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Establishment of Force Intervention Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Implications for United Nations Peace Operations. (2025). Ubuntu: Journal of Conflict and Social Transformation , 10(1&2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.36615/n8tb7r25
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Author Biography
Adedoyin Jolade Omede, University of Ilorin
Dr (Mrs.) A.J Omede is a Professor in the Department of Political Science, University of Ilorin. Ilorin Kwara State. She has written extensively in her area of specialization which is military Security and Strategic Studies. Some of her major works which has been of immense benefit to the Nigerian Military in particular are: 'Nigeria's Military Role in Liberia’; 'National Defence Spending: An Analysis of High Military Expenditure (MILEX) in Nigeria'; ‘Threats and Threats Perception: A Strategic Analysis of Nigeria's Territorial Defence'; Her other area of interests are women and Gender studies, political Economy and International Relations.
How to Cite
Establishment of Force Intervention Brigade in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Implications for United Nations Peace Operations. (2025). Ubuntu: Journal of Conflict and Social Transformation , 10(1&2), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.36615/n8tb7r25