Two massive UN missions in the largest African country, Sudan. The paper systematically compares the UNMIS in Southern Sudan and UNAMID in Darfur. The analysis starts at the background of the conflicts that led to both UN operations. Consequently, the design of the UN mandates are compared, as well as the scope of the resources on the ground. The paper concludes with the status quo and an analysis of the success and failures of both missions.
The author was working in Southern Sudan for 6 months for an international NGO.
Table of Contents
Part I. Conflict background and point of entry for the UN
A. UNMIS (North/South Sudan) – A periphery vs. centre war with roots in the colonial history of Sudan. Fighting for political and economical development.
B. UNAMID (Darfur) – The Darfur conflicts shows similar patterns as the North-South conflict: a struggle for political participation and economical development.
Part II. Design of the mandate
A. UNMIS (North/South Sudan) – A monitoring mission supporting the implementation of the CPA without teeth to protect civilians.
B. UNAMID (Darfur) – The international community intervening with a delay of five years; Solving an African problem with African means?
Part III. Scope of the mission
A. UNMIS (North/South Sudan)
B. UNAMID (Darfur) – Largest, most expensive UN-mission with famous delays.
Part IV. The current situation, success and failures
A. UNMIS (North/South Sudan)
B. UNAMID (Darfur)
Research Objectives and Focus
The objective of this work is to analyze and compare the performance, mandates, and operational scopes of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to determine their effectiveness in fostering peace and stability.
- Historical background of conflicts in Sudan and Darfur.
- Evaluation of UN/AU mission mandates and their design limitations.
- Operational capacity, resource allocation, and mission deployment.
- Analysis of success factors versus systemic failures in peace enforcement.
- The impact of international political influence on mission outcomes.
Excerpt from the Book
A. UNMIS (North/South Sudan) – A periphery vs. centre war with roots in the colonial history of Sudan. Fighting for political and economical development.
The first civil war between the powerful center of Khartoum and the neglected periphery in the South started after independence in 1956 and ended in 1972 with signing of the Addis Ababa Agreement. The country’s only period of peace followed for 10 years. In 1983 the Government of Sudan (GoS, Khartoum) planned to introduce Sharia’a law in the whole of Sudan, applying it not only on Muslims but also on Black Africans in the Southern part. Two decades of war between the Khartoum-based government and the southern-based rebel group SPLM started. Almost two million people were killed in that time. In 2002 the GoS and the SPLM signed the Machako protocol, framing a roadmap for peace in Sudan. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an alliance of neighbouring states, guided the two warring parties through a number of additional agreements towards peace. 2004 the UN offered its support for the implementation of the peace agreement.
Summary of Chapters
Part I. Conflict background and point of entry for the UN: This section details the historical origins of the civil wars in North/South Sudan and Darfur, emphasizing the struggle for political participation and economic development.
Part II. Design of the mandate: This part examines the specific mandates assigned to UNMIS and UNAMID, noting the limitations of their legal frameworks and the challenges of international intervention.
Part III. Scope of the mission: This chapter provides an overview of the scale, troop authorizations, and budget requirements for both missions in their respective operational theaters.
Part IV. The current situation, success and failures: This concluding analysis assesses the performance of the missions, highlighting operational hurdles and their overall impact on regional stability.
Keywords
UNMIS, UNAMID, Sudan, Darfur, Peacekeeping, Conflict Resolution, CPA, Mandate, Khartoum, SPLM, Humanitarian aid, Civilian protection, Peace enforcement, International Security, UN Charter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper provides a comparative analysis of two specific UN peace operations in Sudan: the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) and the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID).
What are the central themes discussed in the document?
The central themes include the historical background of the conflicts, the design and limitations of mission mandates, operational scopes, and the effectiveness of international interventions.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to assess how these missions have performed in the context of their respective mandates and to identify the success factors and failures in achieving durable peace.
What scientific method is applied in this research?
The research applies a systematic analytical grid, specifically the model developed by Van der Ljin, to evaluate mission performance against factors like stakeholder involvement and willingness.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main sections cover the conflict origins, the legal and operational design of the mandates, resource statistics (personnel/budgets), and an analysis of current outcomes on the ground.
Which keywords characterize this research?
Key terms include UNMIS, UNAMID, Peacekeeping, Sudan, Darfur, CPA, Humanitarian protection, and Conflict resolution.
How does the conflict in the North differ from the situation in Darfur?
The North-South conflict is primarily a struggle between the central government and the periphery, whereas the Darfur conflict is marked by fragmented rebel groups and complex tribal/militia dynamics.
What role does the International Criminal Court play in this context?
The Security Council assigned the ICC to investigate the case of Darfur in 2005, despite Sudan not being a signatory to the Rome Statute.
Why are UNAMID's operations considered difficult?
UNAMID faces significant constraints from the Sudanese government, including limits on night patrols, refusal to accept non-African troops, and delays in administrative approvals.
What is the conclusion regarding mission success?
The analysis suggests that both missions have struggled with "local ownership" and that UNMIS, in particular, acts as a weak monitoring force despite its Chapter VII mandate.
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- Dick Laurent (Autor:in), 2010, Comparing the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) with the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur: Background, Mandate, Scope, Success & Failures, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/151871
