Confronting complex emergencies in Africa

This research paper argues that current international and regional approaches to humanitarian military interventions in Africa are ineffective because they prioritize humanitarian aid over the restoration of security. The author proposes a new 'humanitarian security intervention' doctrine that emphasizes the coercive use of force to establish security as a prerequisite for humanitarian assistance and long-term peacebuilding.

• The author argues that a new doctrine of 'humanitarian security intervention' is required because current multidimensional peace operations are not a realistic or effective response to armed conflicts in Africa. This proposed doctrine posits that the primary effort of intervention must be the restoration and maintenance of security, which is a 'sine-qua-non strategy' for enabling other humanitarian and socio-political goals.
• The paper identifies a 'mandate lacuna' where the UN Security Council frequently issues 'robust' Chapter VII mandates that are undermined by conditionalities and a lack of necessary means. This creates a gap between the stated intent to protect civilians and the actual freedom of action on the ground, allowing hostile forces to exploit mission weaknesses.
• Analysis of interventions in Somalia (UNOSOM I, UNOSOM II, and UNITAF) reveals that failures were driven by minimalist mandates, a preoccupation with alleviating humanitarian symptoms rather than restoring security, and the precipitate withdrawal of forces like UNITAF in the face of limited casualties.
• The AU Mission in Sudan-Darfur (AMIS) was hampered by an overly ambitious end state relative to its small force size (maximum 7,700), poor communications, and a lack of force enablers like rotary wing aircraft. Despite an enhanced mandate in October 2004, the mission lacked the capabilities to protect itself or civilians against flagrant violations of the Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement.
• The author describes a 'peacekeeping apartheid' where Western nations have withdrawn from direct participation in African peace operations, instead providing funding and logistics to regional missions. This shifts the burden to the AU and sub-regional organizations, which often lack the political will, human resources, and institutional expertise to conduct effective interventions.
• The paper highlights a critical deficiency in police capabilities within AU missions, specifically the absence of Formed Police Units (FPU). Without FPUs, police components are limited to monitoring roles and cannot effectively manage public order or provide robust security in non-permissive environments.
• The author emphasizes that the African Standby Force (ASF) must develop genuine Rapid Deployment Capabilities (RDC) to be effective. This requires more than just force generation; it necessitates early warning mechanisms, strategic lift, guaranteed start-up funds, and training specifically tailored to critical security intervention scenarios.

APA

Aboagye, F. B. (2009). Confronting complex emergencies in Africa. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/P204.pdf

Chicago

Aboagye, Festus Boahen. Confronting complex emergencies in Africa. Institute for Security Studies, 2009. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/P204.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Aboagye |first1=Festus Boahen |title=Confronting complex emergencies in Africa |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=November 2009 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/P204.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{aboagye2009confronting, author = {Aboagye, Festus Boahen}, title = {{Confronting complex emergencies in Africa}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2009}, month = nov, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/P204.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }