Pursuit of Ubuntu? Exploring South African role in DR Congo. The case of Force Intervention Brigade 2013

Absztrakt (kivonat)

South Africa post-apartheid has taken a leading role in Africa to resolve conflicts and push for economic development. Although some of the interventions were criticized. It continues to be involved in African countries reconstruction post-conflict, especially in DR Congo. South Africa has highly invested in DR Congo although this relationship is unbalanced, tends to favour South Africa more. South Africa as the second largest economy in sub-Saharan has shown that it is not only influential in Southern African Development Community but has intervened throughout the continent. DR Congo has experienced interventions from the three post-apartheid South African presidents, namely Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma. They have been attempting to achieve long lasting peace within DR Congo. Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki had more similar approach in terms of diplomacy. However, under Jacob Zuma South Africa acted robustly through Force Intervention Brigade to disable the rebels, especially M23. South Africa refused to intervene in DR Congo with a military approach under Southern African Development Community when Nelson Mandela was the President, but it went to intervene in Lesotho without working in any international or regional framework and this raise concerns on the sudden interest to involve military in DR Congo. The DR Congo intervention under United Nations framework occurs in the same year after South Africa intervened in Central African Republic.