Limits to supporting security sector interventions in the DRC

This research paper examines the limited impact of international security sector reform (SSR) and stabilisation efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since 2003, attributing failures to a technical approach that ignored political dynamics and elite incentives.

• International interventions in the Democratic Republic of Congo since 2003, specifically those targeting security sector reform (SSR) and the stabilisation of the 'militia belt' in the east, have had limited impact, leaving the security context volatile.
• The failure to fundamentally alter the security context in the DRC is attributed to a predominantly technical approach that neglected the broader political landscape, including the neopatrimonial incentives of the Congolese elite and the specific relationship between local communities and the armed forces.
• While the 2013 defeat of the M23 rebellion was a rare success, it may now reduce the pressure required to implement meaningful reforms.

APA

Kets, E., & de Vries, H. (n.d.). Limits to supporting security sector interventions in the DRC. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/limits-to-supporting-security-sector-interventions-in-the-drc

Chicago

Kets, Evert, and Hugo de Vries. Limits to supporting security sector interventions in the DRC. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/limits-to-supporting-security-sector-interventions-in-the-drc.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kets |first1=Evert |last2=de Vries |first2=Hugo |title=Limits to supporting security sector interventions in the DRC |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/papers/limits-to-supporting-security-sector-interventions-in-the-drc |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ketsndlimits, author = {Kets, Evert and de Vries, Hugo}, title = {{Limits to supporting security sector interventions in the DRC}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/papers/limits-to-supporting-security-sector-interventions-in-the-drc}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }