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Cocodia, Jude (2016) Factors critical to peacekeeping achieving stability: learning from the African Union’s peace operations. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

This thesis analyses the factors that determine the provision of stability in peacekeeping operations and the peacekeeping operations of the African Union (AU). It makes theoretical and empirical contributions, and supports the claim that the AU has been effective in peacekeeping.

Theoretically, this study offers a comprehensive list of factors drawn from extant peace literature which influence peace operations meeting the basic objective of protecting lives and keeping areas stable. Beyond the majorly discussed factors of contingent size, funding, international collaboration, local participation, mandate and peacekeeper training, this study also examines issues of domestic political elite, field leadership, force integrity, impartiality, international political will, lead state, local women participation, size and resources of territory and timing. In bringing these factors together, this study expands the peacekeeping debate on what matters for stability in conflict areas.

Empirically, using the peace support operations (PSO) of the AU, this study identifies those factors most and least significant for the provision of stability in conflict areas and ranks them based on their impact. Contrary to extant peace literature where mandate, funding, international collaboration, local initiative and size of the contingent are at the heart of creating stability in conflict areas, this study advocates the indispensability of domestic elite cooperation, local initiative and international political will. These were the only factors consistent in all successful AU PSO’s. Conversely, where any of these three factors were lacking, the AU missions failed. This study therefore argues that these three factors are central to the provision of stability in peace operations in the short term.

The short term method of evaluation which revolves around the cessation of violence and provision of security is adopted as the standard for peacekeeping’s effectiveness. This is because the AU often leaves peacebuilding which is evaluated over the long term to the United Nations (UN). So, having achieved stability in four of its six peace operations, this study concludes that the AU has been fairly effective as Africa’s chief peacekeeper.

Other findings exhumed by this study include the necessity of force integrity to large contingents, and the need for a lead state if missions are to succeed in complex theatres demanding prolonged operations.

Item Type:	Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors:	Gegout, Catherine Holland, Benjamin
Keywords:	Peacekeeping, Peace, Conflict, Stability, Security, Success, Africa.
Subjects:	J Political science > JZ International relations
Faculties/Schools:	UK Campuses > Faculty of Social Sciences, Law and Education > School of Politics and International Relations
Item ID:	38005
Depositing User:	COCODIA, JUDE
Date Deposited:	15 Dec 2016 06:40
Last Modified:	08 Feb 2019 08:16
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/38005

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