0 about the author

KEY PEACEKEEPING PERSONNEL 

Specialist in human rights 

Specialist in humanitarian affairs 

Specialist in public information 

Specialist in political affairs 

Specialist n medical and administrative support 

Specialist in Child Protection (Ibid) 
 
PEACEKEEPING TASK 
Peacekeepers' task usually depends on the mandate of the mission in question and includes 
but not restricted to the following
 

Military: Monitoring ceasefire, cantonment and demobilization of troops, location 
destruction of weapons, de-mining, reform and re-training of armed forces, protecting 
borders, investigating claims of the preS6nce of foreign forces, providing security for 
elections and helping to rebuild infrastructure. 

Police: Monitoring police activities, enforcing arrest of suspected criminals, investigating 
alleged human rights violation by the national police, training new police forces etc 

Human rights: monitoring human rights and conducting human rights education and 
investigations etc 

Information: Explaining the peace settlement, reasons for deployment , future possibilities 
etc 

Election: observation and verification through supervision and control of nationally 
conducted elections, conduct of election by UN itself. 

Rehabilitation: short and long term development projects. 

Repatriation: return and resettlement of refugees 

Administration: supervision or controlling the administration of states, control foreign 
affairs, national defense, public security, finance and information (ibid), (Handbook of 
UNDPKO 2003). 
PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS AND THEIR OUTCOME(S) 

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Various books and/or literatures have presented what should be a prelude to a successful 
peacekeeping operation; bearing in mind that peacekeeping is also a part of peace operations, 
especially when it is multidimensional. Notwithstanding the divergent views, there's a general 
consensus on the fact that every peacekeeping operation must have a mandate that is backed by a 
UNSCR and authorized. This statement does not deny the fact that some peacekeeping operations 
have been carried out without authorization from the UNSC. For example, South Africa in Burundi 
2000-03, UK IN Sierra Leone, ECOW AS-ECOMOG- in Liberia and so on (Bellamy and Williams 
2010), although some of the above were later upheld or endorsed. 
The moment a peacekeeping operation is authorized and mandate made public, planning 
ensues. However, we must note that planning processes differs in the UN, EU, AU, and even in 
the sub-regional bodies. During planning at the UN, consultation is extended to States as well as 
between Organizations. 
In addition to consultation, strategic assessment of the conflict situation is undertaken to 
identify various engagement options. Strategic assessment also involves extensive consultations 
with regional and inter-governmental organizations, key partners, the potential host nation etc. 
Usually, this is where experts and/or professionals prove their professional or academic prowess. 
In line with the above on assessment, where a peacekeeping mission is envisaged, a 
Technical Assessment Mission (TAM) is deployed to the conflict area like was recently witnessed 
in Darfur, in May 2012, under the Darfur Joint Assessment Mission (DJAM) (UN S/2013/22**). 
Also, the Integrated Mission Planning Process (IMPP) facilitates the planning process using 
specified planning principles and assumptions. Additionally, the Integrated Mission Task Force 
(IMTF) consisting of all relevant UN stakeholders is established to implement the reports of the 
IMPP. 
All these processes and several others form part of the planning processes which in 
themselves are aimed at implementing the Mandate so authorized. As earlier mentioned, the EU 
and AU have their own planning circle and it runs in this manner: 
The EU planning involves the active participation of all member states because reaching a 
unanimous decision is key to its planning process which usually involves Foreign Affairs Ministers 
of member states, since there are no permanent structures for the military. For the AU, the peace 

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and Security Council, being, the' standing decision making body for the prevention, management 
and resolution of conflict takes charge of giving the final word on planning. Also attached to the 
PSC are: 

Strategic Planning and Management Unit 

Mission Task Force(MTF) 

Planning Element(PLANELM) 

Planning Consultation Forum(PCF) 
In fact, the Darfur Integrated Task Force (DITF) is an example of the MTF above. It should 
however be noted that in practice, the planning processes of the UN, EU and AU etc are rarely 
conducted in a coordinated and harmonized manner. 
From the foregoing and borrowing the words of Fortuna (2008a: 17 in Bellamy & Williams 
20I0:1) "The answer to the question of whether peacekeeping works is a clear and resounding yes." 
No doubt, several peacekeeping operations have taken place both within and outside 
Africa, but for the purpose of this presentation, special attention will be accorded peacekeeping 
operations in Africa with particular emphasis on some of them. Having said this, the following 
countries (and many more) have witnessed peacekeeping operations on different occasions and 
with varying results or outcome: 
1)
Mali's multi-dimensional conflict 
2)
Sudan's civil war with almost genocidal magnitude 
3)
Central African Republic's ethnic warfare 
4)
Rwanda's ethnic warfare 
5)
Somalia which has remained a failed state despite efforts to resuscitate it 
6)
Ethiopia and Eritrea's border conflict 
7)
Sierra Leone's and Guinea Bissau's arms conflict 
8)
Liberia's civil war which almost collapsed the state 
9)
Cote D'voire's arms conflict 
10)
South Africa and Lesotho arms uprising etc. 
Several literatures have argued that “the UN response to many of the conflicts that 
necessitated peacekeeping operation, were usually slow and in some cases erratic. Many of the 
responses they posited, came only after a major humanitarian disaster has occurred.' Rwanda. 

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Liberia and Sudan are clear examples (Galadima 2006:295). Currently, peacekeeping operations, 
due to the dynamic nature of today's' conflicts are altogether complex, multidimensional, and 
operating with Chapter VII authority of the UN charter. Closely related to the above is the fact that 
mandates are now being developed less according to established tenets or codified principles, and 
more in an-adhoc, and reactive manner. 
In addition, many recent African peacekeeping operations are hybrid, while multiple 
organizations have played a lead role in peacekeeping mission in concert with the UN. In Liberia 
for example, the ECOW AS deployed her troops in 2003, assisted by the USA, and then 
transitioned the mission later that same year-October- to the UN. In Burundi, the African Union 
(AU) led the peacekeeping operations before the UN took over in 2004 (UNDPKO) Also, it will 
be recalled that in. Sudan, the AU led a vanguard force into the Darfur region while the UN 
mobilized for a peacekeeping mission there. Judging from the above, UN absorption of operations 
has typically followed initial regional engagement or operations given the trend in peacekeeping 
operations witnessed in Liberia, Cote D' Ivoire etc. (Op.cit) 
Moreover, it should be noted that the ritual of signing peace agreements or ceasefire no 
longer represent an end to violence as events of the past have shown that ceasefire agreements 
were broken after they were signed in Liberia, .Somalia, Sierra Leone and many more and all these 
make peacekeeping operations in intra-state conflict very serious (complicated) and challenging. 
Consequently, these are the three categories of peacekeeping operations in Africa: The one 
undertaken by the UN, the OAU and later by its successor, the AU and those undertaken by some 
sub-regional organizations.