UN and African Union Peacekeeping in Sub-Saharan Africa: Lessons from the DR Congo and Other Regional Cases

The purpose of this study is to identify challenges and prospects of UN and African Union (AU) peacekeeping activities in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as to develop recommendations for improving their effectiveness. The research objectives include: analyzing institutional and legal foundations of UN and AU peacekeeping in the region; comparative assessment of mandates, resource provision and coordination between international and regional structures; evaluating the effectiveness of specific operations (using the Democratic Republic of Congo as a case study); and identifying systemic limitations. The study also aims to develop proposals for improving peacekeeping mechanisms considering regional specifics. The object of this research is the peacekeeping activities of the United Nations and African Union in Sub-Saharan Africa, with particular focus on institutional and political-legal mechanisms for ensuring continental security. The subject of study comprises specific peacekeeping operations in the region, especially the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) as one of the largest and most resource-intensive missions. The author examines such aspects as coordination of international and regional conflict prevention efforts, mandate specifics, legal frameworks for operations, and participation of national actors in stabilization processes. Special attention is given to evaluating the effectiveness of existing approaches and identifying systemic problems that hinder successful peacekeeping implementation. The research employs both general scientific and specialized methods: comparative legal analysis, case study methodology, institutional approach, and elements of political-legal modeling. The methodology is based on interdisciplinary synthesis of data from international law, political science, and international relations. Key findings highlight the need to reform international and regional peacekeeping mechanisms considering the specifics of protracted conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa. The author's particular contribution includes a comparative analysis of UN and AU mandates and the conclusion about the necessity to enhance their cooperation at both institutional and operational levels. The study's novelty lies in its comprehensive approach to analyzing peacekeeping within the context of international security regionalization, with emphasis on African nations as active participants in peace processes. The author substantiates the importance of transitioning from reactive to preventive strategies based on sustainable development, institutional strengthening, and civil society engagement. Additional scholarly contribution includes in-depth analysis of the UN mission in DRC as an example of systemic challenges in modern peacekeeping and coordination difficulties between international and regional structures. This work contributes to both theory and practice of international relations and may be valuable for academic community in further research on international security and peacekeeping in complex conflict environments of Sub-Saharan Africa.

UN, peacekeeping, Africa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, African Union, MONUSCO, international security, regional organizations, conflict, sustainable development