Burundi: Missed opportunities for South African post-conflict development and peacebuilding?

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies evaluates South Africa's post-conflict development and peacebuilding efforts in Burundi. It argues that while South Africa was successful in early peacemaking and peacekeeping, it failed to maintain a long-term presence after 2009, resulting in missed opportunities to consolidate peace and secure economic benefits. The document uses the Burundi experience to provide recommendations for the South African Development Partnership Agency (SADPA).

• South Africa's overall approach to post-conflict and peacebuilding in Burundi is characterized as lacking a cohesive strategy, appearing instead as a series of disconnected and low-impact actions.
• Despite significant early success in conflict management, South Africa largely withdrew from Burundi after its troops left in 2009, failing to anticipate the need for long-term development and peacebuilding engagement.
• South Africa's attempts to reinvigorate relations through diplomatic agreements have been largely ineffective, with several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) remaining unimplemented.
• Operational failures on the South African side, including bureaucratic delays in funding and poorly designed training programs, have hindered its effectiveness and allowed other international donors to fill the gap.
• Burundi remains a fragile state with significant peacebuilding challenges, including human rights violations, food insecurity, and a lack of infrastructure, despite its transition to a post-conflict status.
• To improve future interventions via the South African Development Partnership Agency (SADPA), South Africa should develop a long-term vision, leverage its access to government authorities, and adopt a two-track capacity-building approach that includes civil society rather than just government departments.

APA

Hendricks, C., & Lucey, A. (2013). Burundi: Missed opportunities for South African post-conflict development and peacebuilding? Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief48_9Oct2013.pdf

Chicago

Hendricks, Cheryl, and Amanda Lucey. Burundi: Missed opportunities for South African post-conflict development and peacebuilding? Institute for Security Studies, 2013. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief48_9Oct2013.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hendricks |first1=Cheryl |last2=Lucey |first2=Amanda |title=Burundi: Missed opportunities for South African post-conflict development and peacebuilding? |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=October 2013 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief48_9Oct2013.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hendricks2013burundi, author = {Hendricks, Cheryl and Lucey, Amanda}, title = {{Burundi: Missed opportunities for South African post-conflict development and peacebuilding?}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2013}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief48_9Oct2013.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }