‘RENAISSANCE PEACEKEEPING’ — A South African solution to conflict in the DRC?

This research paper by Mark Malan of the Institute for Security Studies examines South Africa's potential roles in resolving the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as of March 1999. It analyzes various scenarios—ranging from a firm peace agreement to the absence of a cease-fire—and proposes an unconventional 'Renaissance peacekeeping' model that co-opts belligerent statutory forces into a multinational operation.

• South Africa's participation in peace missions is governed by a White Paper approved by Cabinet in October 1998, which stipulates that the country will support the UN, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) provided there is a "clear international mandate, sufficient means, and clear entry and exit criteria."
• The author argues that the 'Draft Mechanism for an OAU Observer Mission and a UN Peacekeeping Operation' developed in late 1998 is flawed because it fails to distinguish between the mandates of observer and peacekeeping missions and proposes tasks—such as "control of borders" and "ensuring compliance"—that would require a robust force with Chapter VII enforcement powers beyond the current capacity of African participants.
• The 'Renaissance peacekeeping' concept, proposed by Thabo Mbeki, suggests an unconventional approach where the statutory forces currently fighting in the DRC are invited to contribute to a multinational operation. This is intended to allow for rapid deployment, utilize existing local knowledge, and provide a "face-saving opportunity" for external players to rotate and withdraw troops.
• To ensure the credibility and impartiality of a 'Renaissance' Joint Task Team (JTT), the author suggests including a lead nation from another continent to provide impartial command and link the operation to broader international peacebuilding efforts, noting that South Africa may be the lead nation of choice by default.
• The author notes a shift in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) attitude toward peace operations following 'Operation Boleas' in Lesotho in October 1998, observing that the military has moved from resisting international peacekeeping to actively contingency planning for interventions, such as in the Comoro Islands.
• The document concludes that South Africa is likely to be drawn into a multinational operation in the DRC, but warns that the country should adhere to its rational policy guidelines to avoid being trapped in a mission based on a fragile cease-fire destined to fail.

APA

Malan, M. (1999). ‘RENAISSANCE PEACEKEEPING’ — A South African solution to conflict in the DRC? Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/paper37.pdf

Chicago

Malan, Mark. ‘RENAISSANCE PEACEKEEPING’ — A South African solution to conflict in the DRC? Institute for Security Studies, 1999. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/paper37.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Malan |first1=Mark |title=‘RENAISSANCE PEACEKEEPING’ — A South African solution to conflict in the DRC? |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=March 1999 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/paper37.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{malan1999renaissance, author = {Malan, Mark}, title = {{‘RENAISSANCE PEACEKEEPING’ — A South African solution to conflict in the DRC?}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {1999}, month = mar, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/paper37.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }