Abstract:
Africa has been by far the most important regional setting for the peacekeeping operations of the United Nations. This is as a result of decades of unending and increasing tensions which have been complex and multidimensional in Africa. This research gives a general background on the emergence and causes of conflict in Africa. It critically analyzes the reasons why most countries engulfed by war especially the Democratic Republic Congo have always allowed the United Nations to mediate in their conflicts. Therefore, in the context of the research, we are able to articulate whether the UN peacekeeping efforts in Africa have been able and effective in preventing wars in the region, whether the Congo crises is beyond the capacity of the United Nations and whether peacekeeping operation is capable of resolving the intractable conflicts which have ravaged Africa over the years. Having subjected the above questions to empirical verification, it was however concluded that the United Nations peacekeeping efforts in Africa have not been effective in preventing wars in the region, that the Congo crises is beyond the capacity of the UN and that only peacekeeping operations cannot resolve the conflicts in Africa. The systems theory enunciated by David Easton serves as the explanatory framework to understand better how the UN operates to achieve its goals. Data gathering is mainly on secondary sources. Our findings in this dissertation however provide evidence that recovery from war and its aftermath is a protracted process in conflict impacted states such as the Democratic Republic of Congo especially when war is superimposed on decades of social, economic and political decline. In the light of the above findings, we recommend that UN should be constructively reformed to better respond to modern realities. The protection of the civilians, provision of the basic amenities of life and improvement in human rights should be the top priority of the government of Democratic Republic of Congo. Unless good governance is prized, Africa will not break free of the threat and the reality of conflicts which are so evident today.
