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This monograph by Nelson Alusala analyzes the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW) and the dynamics of armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the Central African Republic (CAR), and Chad. It examines how the availability of SALW undermines human development and governance, while evaluating disarmament efforts and recommending international and national interventions to break the cycle of violence.

This situation report by the Institute for Security Studies reflects on the experience of Major General Patrick Cammaert regarding the use of force within the Eastern Division of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), specifically contrasting the mandates of Chapter VI and Chapter VII of the UN Charter.

This text is the introductory material for a book titled 'The many faces of human security: Case studies of seven countries in Southern Africa', produced by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) with funding from the Royal Danish embassy in South Africa. It outlines the collaborative effort between the ISS, the Southern African Peace and Security Network (SAPSNet), and various academic and strategic partners across seven Southern African nations to explore the concept of human security in a region historically dominated by state security priorities.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the prospects of a national dialogue in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) aimed at achieving political consensus and governance reform. It highlights critical challenges facing the dialogue, including an ambitious timeframe, the exclusion of opposition parties, and a lack of implementation mechanisms. The document also discusses the interconnectedness of these political talks with the security crisis in the eastern DRC, specifically the conflict between the government and the M23 rebellion and the role of the UN Intervention Brigade.

This text serves as an introduction to a monograph by Muzong W. Kodi, which evaluates the anti-corruption institutions, laws, and governance of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the transition period from 2003 to 2006 to inform future policy decisions.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the limited effectiveness of the United Nations peacekeeping mission (MONUC) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), highlighting allegations of logistical support for rebels and the role of neighboring countries in sustaining conflict through illegal trade and arms supply.

This research monograph reviews literature on two distinct waves of forced migration to South Africa: Mozambicans fleeing civil war in the 1980s and people from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arriving from the early 1990s onwards. It highlights the legal ambiguities and social marginalization faced by Mozambican refugees, as well as the significant socio-economic decline and lack of integration experienced by Congolese refugees.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the doctrinal differences between United Nations (UN) peacekeeping and African Union (AU) peace support operations, using these distinctions to propose strategies for stabilising northern Mali.

Peace and Security Council Report No 34 provides analysis on three distinct security crises: the political and military instability in Mali, the escalating border and oil revenue conflicts between Sudan and South Sudan, and the cross-border threats posed by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) across Central Africa.

This research paper examines the role of civilian stakeholders—specifically women, children, refugees, and internally displaced people—within the peace process of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, arguing that treating war victims as stakeholders is necessary to end cycles of violence and marginalisation.

This document is a description of a monograph by Muzong W. Kodi that analyzes corruption and governance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the transition period from 2003 to 2006 to inform current political decisions and the national anti-corruption strategy.

This monograph examines disarmament as a key component of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) efforts within African peacekeeping operations. It highlights the necessity of sub-regional contexts in peace efforts, using the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as an example of regional insecurity. The text notes that while disarmament has been attempted in countries like Angola, Mozambique, and Liberia with varying success, Sierra Leone represents a recent successful conclusion of such a programme.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) examines the economic reintegration of ex-combatants in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan. It highlights the critical role of viable livelihood opportunities in preventing re-militarisation and discusses the systemic barriers—including poor infrastructure, predatory taxation, and limited credit—that hinder the transition from informal to formal economic activities.

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies argues that while illegal mining is a pervasive aspect of the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), it is a manifestation rather than a root cause. The author contends that focusing solely on regulating the mining sector—through measures like the DRC's 2010-2011 mining ban or the US Dodd-Frank Act—without addressing underlying issues of governance, land, and ethnicity is insufficient for achieving sustainable peace.

This report, the second volume of a monograph edited by Peter Gastrow for the Institute for Security Studies, examines the penetration of organised crime into state and business structures across Southern Africa. It specifically provides detailed country studies on Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa, illustrating how criminal networks exploit weak governance and economic instability to create a regional market for illicit goods.

This research paper examines the limited impact of international security sector reform (SSR) and stabilisation efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since 2003, attributing failures to a technical approach that ignored political dynamics and elite incentives.

This monograph, edited by Cheryl Hendricks and published by the Institute for Security Studies, presents a collection of think pieces from a December 2005 workshop in Cape Town. It examines the transition from a state-centric security paradigm to a human security approach in Southern Africa, analyzing the conceptual challenges, the role of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and the persistent gap between policy frameworks and the actual lived experiences of citizens.

This research paper, based on a qualitative study conducted in April and May 2003, examines the exploitative gender dynamics and sexual abuse of local women and girls by peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) and Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL). The author analyzes how financial disparities, power imbalances, and a 'peacekeeping economy' contribute to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), while evaluating the effectiveness of gender training and conduct committees in these missions.

This monograph by Godfrey M Musila examines the International Criminal Court's (ICC) operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), focusing on the cooperation between the court and the state, the influence of politics on the ICC's work, and the perceptions of the ICC within Congolese society.

This research paper by the Institute for Security Studies examines the impact of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) military intervention in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on sub-regional cohesion and the challenges facing future stability efforts.