General Diop, the military advisor in the United Nations(UN) Department of Peace Operations, speaks with the Africa Center for Strategic Studies on the state of the UN Peacekeeping Operations in Africa.
Diop says, “Africa should be playing a leading role in keeping Africa safe…when I say Africa, I am referring to the African Union…African security is intrinsically linked to other continents’ security.”
According to Diop, out of the 71 missions undertaken by the UN, 31 are in Africa, and 80% of peacekeepers are deployed to Africa. In addition, approximately 40% of the UN Security Council’s activities focus on African matters.
He also reveals the problems, grey areas, and misconceptions people usually have about UN peacekeeping operations in Africa.
Diop states that there are expectation gaps between African populations and the “Blue helmets”, also known as the peacekeeping soldiers.
The populations in Africa, on the one hand, expect a lot from peacekeeping, but on the other hand, peacekeepers are required to implement the mandate they are given.
He acknowledges that the mandates given to peacekeepers are inadequate because of the high amounts of violence during and especially after a peace operation, with peacekeepers often being the targets of violence.
Disinformation against UN peacekeepers in Africa is a symptom of broader challenges facing UN peacekeeping operations, including international and regional geopolitics and often-tense relationships with host-state governments and populations.
Online disinformation campaigns have increased against UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR), Mali, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The campaigns have coincided with the deployment of Russian mercenaries.
Diop emphasises the need to enhance African peace mechanisms led by the African Union. He stresses the importance of establishing channels for cooperation with more efficient mechanisms being operation in Europe and North America.
Watch the video below:
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