The United Nations was established after World War II as a successor of the ineffective League of Nations. It is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain global peace and security.
Recently, 76 years after the creation of the UN, some experts in international politics have raised the question of its efficiency in the context of the modern fast-paced world.
In order to promote peace and security the UN and the many entities comprising the “UN system” have created a presence in every region of the world, including rapidly changing and developing Africa. But the United Nations is not the only organisation to assist African countries in need. African states have organised their own regional cooperation.
They are also supported by individual developed states and different supranational organisations, including the European Union.
Taking into account that costly UN Missions are sponsored by the UN member states, it is important to assess the Missions’ efficiency compared to the work done by other international actors.
To focus on one specific country in Africa, the Central African Republic is a quintessential case study that can help to illustrate some of the more problematic aspects of the UN’s Mission on the ground.
Since December 17, 2020, the Central African Republic has experienced a difficult period marked by instability and chaos spread by the rebel party known as the “Coalition of Patriots for Change”(CPC).
Rebel forces organized and openly supported by former President François Bozizé tried to disrupt the presidential and legislative elections in the country last year. Fortuitously, their attempts failed as a result of the well-coordinated response of the national forces (FACA) and their allies, mostly Russians and Rwandans, sent to the CAR at the emergency call of the Central African government. Another long-running exhaustive conflict was prevented.
This extraordinary situation, however, exposed the fact that the UN’s Mission in the CAR, known as MINUSCA, whose core task is to protect the civilian population, is less than effective. Military support, and particularly the one based on the current mandate of the UN, failed to bring the needed results to improve the wellbeing of the local population and contribute to the further stabilization of the CAR.
In the Central African Republic, the UN is not represented by a peacekeeping Mission only. Other structures of the so-called UN system, like UNAIDS and UNICEF, are also providing assistance to the Republic. But MINUSCA is the major instrument of the UN’s support to the CAR. Is it exactly what the civilian population of the country needs?
It is clear that the reformed national army has recently proved its efficiency in defeating mercenary-based rebel groups; The local population of the CAR is interested in medical, sanitary, educational and socioeconomic aid rather than in having a greater number of unhelpful foreign soldiers deployed in the country.
The European Union has always prioritised humanitarian action over other types of assistance, primarily focusing on covering the needs of the most vulnerable. In 2020, the EU funded the support of humanitarian action in the Republic with €22.7 million, adding another €1.5 million for assistance to CAR refugees in the neighbouring countries to provide them with food assistance, emergency shelter, access to healthcare, water and sanitation, short-term livelihood and agricultural support, and education.
The Central African Republic, as well as any country in the world, was shaken by the COVID19 pandemic, and the EU did not hesitate to respond to this situation. funding projects that aimed to help resolve the health crisis by providing access to clean water and sanitation for vulnerable people.
In May 2020, three EU Humanitarian Air Bridge flights were organised for the transport of staff and humanitarian cargo (material and medical equipment) to support coronavirus control and prevention measures in line with the CAR’s response plan to deal with the pandemic.
Recently the EU launched its first call for proposals for the project “Create in Central Africa” in support of the cultural and creative industries. The €1,050,000-budget project aims to increase economic revenues from the creative sector, promote sustainable employment creation related to the cultural sector as well as better accessibility, recognition and revenue collection systems for artists and their works.
Recent events in the Central African Republic have shown that the needs of the country changed: the demand for assistance in spheres other than security is already growing and will increase exponentially in the nearest future. Central African society is asking for more projects to strengthen the health and sanitary sector, as well as humanitarian aid aimed at displaced persons. As the main goal of the government now is to stabilize and diversify the economy, projects to promote education and employment would also be appreciated.
This shows the work done by the UN in the CAR in a slightly different light: the current approach to the international aid implemented by the UN is outdated and inefficient. The preserving of peace does not concern military personnel any more, but requires efforts to improve the quality of life, developing education and giving the local population knowledge and skills that will allow them to rebuild their country themselves.
As the Foreign Minister of the Central African Republic Sylvie Baipo-Temon stated: “The United Nations replaced the League of Nations, who failed to avert World War II. Isn’t it the time to replace the UN who struggles to keep peace in the face of the multiplication of conflicts?” Her question resonates with the population of the Central African Republic, who voice their discontent through petitions and protest against MINUSCA deployment in the Republic.
The people are urging the UN to reconsider their policies in the Central African Republic and move their focus away from their rather inefficient military presence to other ways of support to the government and the local population.