ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE INTERIM EMERGENCY MULTINATIONAL FORCE AND FUTURE SCENARIOS

The research paper evaluates the impact of the IEMF (Operation ARTEMIS) in stabilizing Bunia, DRC, noting its success in restoring basic security and facilitating the return of displaced persons, while highlighting its failure to prevent atrocities outside its limited area of responsibility. It outlines three future scenarios—worst, best, and most likely—and recommends an integrated approach combining military peace-enforcement, political support for the Ituri Interim Administration (IIA), and the implementation of a Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) process to address the root causes of ethnic conflict between Hema and Lendu communities.

• The IEMF successfully re-established security in Bunia, weakened the military capabilities of the Union des Patriotes Congolais (UPC), and cut off foreign military supplies through air monitoring of airstrips.
• The IEMF's limited mandate in time and space prevented it from neutralizing enemies of the UPC outside Bunia, which indirectly shifted the balance of power toward the Lendu militia and led to atrocities in towns such as Drodro, Largo, Nizi, and Fataki.
• The IEMF's reliance on vehicle patrolling was less effective than the foot patrols later used by MONUC's Uruguayan and Bangladeshi contingents, who were better perceived by the local population.
• The author identifies a 'most likely scenario' where MONUC only partially enforces the arms embargo and the Ituri Interim Administration (IIA) remains heavily dependent on international support while ethnic tensions persist.
• A critical long-term pacification tool is the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) process, which requires a specific strategy for Ituri to transition militiamen back to civilian life or into the national army.
• The International Criminal Court (ICC) is viewed as a powerful deterrent against armed group leaders, though this creates a dilemma between the need to co-opt warlords for peace and the requirement for legal accountability.
• The root causes of the Ituri conflict are primarily linked to land and property disputes, exacerbated by conflicting customary and market-based ownership systems.

APA

Sow, A. (n.d.). ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE INTERIM EMERGENCY MULTINATIONAL FORCE AND FUTURE SCENARIOS. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SOW.PDF

Chicago

Sow, Alpha. ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE INTERIM EMERGENCY MULTINATIONAL FORCE AND FUTURE SCENARIOS. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SOW.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sow |first1=Alpha |title=ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE INTERIM EMERGENCY MULTINATIONAL FORCE AND FUTURE SCENARIOS |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SOW.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sowndachievements, author = {Sow, Alpha}, title = {{ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE INTERIM EMERGENCY MULTINATIONAL FORCE AND FUTURE SCENARIOS}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SOW.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }