A step towards peace: Disarmament in Africa

The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) illustrates how a crisis in one country can spark regional insecurities. Thus responses to conflict need to be based on a sub-regional context where local dynamics are assessed and incorporated into peace efforts. An important element of peace is the effective disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of former combatant. This monograph looks at one specific element of these efforts: disarmament. In the context of multinational peace support operations, disarmament has formed a key component. In Africa, disarmament programmes during peace-keeping operations have been conducted in Angola, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Liberia and the DRC, among other countries, with varying degrees of success. Over time, however, lessons have been learned in these efforts and the mplementation and successful conclusion of disarmament has, for example, recently been witnessed in sierra Leone. This monograph sets out to evaluate the evolution of disarmament during peacekeeping operations and look at how these programmes have become an integral component of peace support operations in Africa. Two recent efforts at disarmament in Africa are then presented: Sierra Leone and the DRC. While the situations in the two countries differ dramatically, the opportunity to learn from the experience of Sierra Leone and analyze the evolving situation in the DRC against a common framework of analysis is important. The monograph concludes with a review of the basic requirements for planning and implementing disarmament programmes within peace operations in Africa.