ABSTRACT
On the African continent there is probably no other country to which so many peacekeeping missions have been deployed in such a relatively short period of time. Since 1997 12 peacekeeping missions, two political UN missions and one international contact group have been set up and deployed to the country involving seven different IOs (Table 14.1). In addition to these 12 missions France also deployed an operation in 2013 preparing the ground for a later EU and UN deployment. While these numbers are impressive the CAR is still one of the countries that, despite long-standing and frequent political unrest and instability, with only one state president being replaced via democratic elections since independence in 1960, has only received peripheral international attention. The high number of peacekeeping missions is not a sign of heightened political interest in settling the country’s security and political problems but rather reflects international reluctance to getting involved substantially to create conditions for sustainable peace. Indeed, most of post-colonial history problems in the CAR have been overshadowed by seemingly larger security issues in neighbouring countries. The conflicts in the DRC, Sudan and Chad, particularly, had a largely negative impact on global but also regional attention towards the CAR. While the DRC, Sudan and Chad were conflicts that posed a significant threat to international and regional security, the opposite can be claimed for the CAR. As such, the country did not pose a significant threat to international peace and stability but was negatively influenced by its neighbouring countries. Although most of the country’s rebel coups had domestic sources, it is undeniable that the conflicts in Darfur and the DRC and the political influence of Chad had a mostly destabilising impact. Most of the deployed peacekeeping missions have contributed little to solving the country’s security concerns. Since its independence the CAR has mostly been ruled by autocrats who have frequently been removed from power by force (Table 14.2). Although elections have been held a number
of times this has not prevented mutinies. The presence of peacekeeping missions seems to have ambivalent consequences. On the one hand, most missions have been designed to politically and militarily stabilise incumbent leaders threatened by military coups. On the other hand, armed coups happened while peacekeeping missions were deployed. A positive impact of peacekeeping missions on the security sector is hard to find if any exist at all. For most people living in the CAR, insecurity remains a constant variable without significant positive change in the long run.
