5901 ISS Monograph 179.indd

The document evaluates the Multi-country Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme (MDRP), which operated from 2002 to 2009 to support ex-combatants in the Great Lakes Region. It highlights the shift from MDRP to the Transitional Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme (TDRP) and examines the specific challenges of reintegration in the Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, and Liberia. Key findings emphasize the risks of 'arms for cash' approaches, the difficulty of sustainable economic reintegration, and the necessity of linking DDR processes with broader security sector reform and community development.

• The MDRP, led by the World Bank from 2002 to 2009, targeted approximately 400,000 former combatants across seven countries in the Great Lakes Region: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.
• Total funding for the MDRP exceeded $451 million, contributed by 13 donor countries and the World Bank, which supported the demobilisation of 279,263 adult combatants and the reunification of 53,880 children associated with fighting forces.
• The MDRP faced significant challenges in reaching female ex-combatants; only 9,846 women were demobilised compared to 269,417 men.
• The disarmament process in the Republic of Congo, managed by the UNDP's PCAD project, collected 1,308 small arms in its first phase, which was significantly lower than the target of 15,000 weapons.
• The MDRP project in the Central African Republic (PRAC) was rated as unsatisfactory, specifically failing in disarmament where only 190 arms were collected from 7,556 demobilised ex-combatants.
• In the Central African Republic, 48% of ex-combatants chose retail trade for reintegration because it provided cash capital, but this group experienced a 95% failure rate in their businesses.
• The UN-led DDRR process in Liberia disarmed 103,019 people and collected 28,314 weapons, but the process was hampered by 'donor fatigue' which left approximately 23,000 vulnerable ex-combatants without reintegration benefits.
• A critical failure in the Liberian RR process was the lack of sustainable markets for the skills provided; for example, only 30% to 40% of trainees at the Booker Washington Institute successfully used their skills for a livelihood.
• The study concludes that DDR programmes often overemphasize disarmament (taking the gun) over reintegration, which can lead ex-combatants to view the process as a 'moneymaking venture' or an 'alternative to war' rather than a path to civilian life.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (2011). 5901 ISS Monograph 179.indd. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono179_1.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. 5901 ISS Monograph 179.indd. 2011. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono179_1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=5901 ISS Monograph 179.indd |date=2011 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono179_1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudies20115901, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{5901 ISS Monograph 179.indd}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2011}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/Mono179_1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }