Lessons Learned from Failed UN Civilian Protection Mission in Sudan

 The Stimson Center published in October 2024 a study titled "Civilian Protection in Sudan: Emerging Lessons from UNITAMS" by Julie Gregory.

The United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) began operations in 2020 to assist with civilian protection.  It replaced the more robust UN-AU Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).  UNITAMS was not designed to operate in Sudan's current civil war environment, which forced the evacuation of most of its personnel.  This study offers lessons learned as a result of this failed mission.  

Civilian Protection in Sudan

 World Politics Review published on 25 April 2023 an analysis titled "For Civilians in Sudan, Self-Protection Is the Only Option" by Charli Carpenter, University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

This analysis looks at the options facing both foreign and Sudanese civilians as fighting continues to rage in the country.  The options are not good and the future bleak so long as the two military organizations continue to put their interests ahead of the needs of the country.

Protecting Civilians in African Union Peace Support Operations

The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) has just published a monograph titled "Protecting Civilians in African Union Peace Support Operations: Key Cases and Lessons Learned" edited by Jide Martyns Okeke, African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, and Paul D. Williams, George Washington University.

The entire document can be downloaded. It includes chapters on protecting civilians in Darfur from AMIS to UNAMID, the African Union Mission in Somalia, Mali, and the Central African Republic.

Investigation of July 2016 Violence in Juba

The executive summary of the Independent Special Investigation into the violence which occurred in Juba, South Sudan, from 8 to 11 July 2016 is now available. The investigation found that a lack of leadership on the part of key senior UNMISS personnel culminated in a chaotic and ineffective response to the violence.

South Sudan Peacekeeping Commander Fired Following Devastating Report

Foreign Policy published on 1 November 2016 an article titled "U.N. Chief Fires His Top Peacekeeping Commander in South Sudan" by Colum Lynch.

The UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) fell woefully short of its obligation to protect civilians in July 2016 as fighting between government and rebel forces blew up a fragile peace agreement and pitched Juba into chaos for four bloody days. Peacekeepers from several countries abandoned their posts. Ban Ki-moon has replaced the force commander, a lieutenant general from Kenya.

The government of Kenya responded to this action by announcing that it will withdraw its 1,000 troops from UNMISS and will not contribute to a new 4,000 strong civilian protection force in South Sudan. Kenya's Daily Nation covered the story in an article titled "UN Says It Values Kenya's Troop Presence in South Sudan" by Kevin J. Kelly.

South Sudan: Analysis of July 2016 Violence in Juba and UN Response

The Washington-based, independent non-governmental organization known as Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) just published a major report titled "Under Fire: The July 2016 Violence in Juba and UN Response."

On 8 July 2016, intense fighting erupted in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The report examines the harm that civilians suffered during the July crisis as well as UNMISS's response to those protection threats. The parties to the conflict inflicted serious harm on civilians and, even given the difficult operating environment, CIVIC argues that UNMISS underperformed in fulfilling core parts of its mandate.

AMISOM and Civilian Protection in Somalia

The most recent issue of Stability: International Journal of Security and Development published an article titled "The African Union Mission in Somalia and Civilian Protection Challenges" by Paul D. Williams, Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.

Williams explains why it has taken so long for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to adopt a mission-wide protection-of-civilians strategy.  He identifies four challenges confronting AMISOM, adding that to be successful the new strategy must overcome these material, legal, moral, and doctrinal challenges.

AMISOM and Civilian Protection in Somalia

The latest issue of Accord's Conflict Trends contains an article titled "AMISOM and the Protection of Civilians in Somalia." It traces the evolution of AMISOM's role in Somalia and gives special attention to AMISOM's efforts to protect civilians as it engages al-Shabaab in combat.

The authors are Walter Lotze and Yvonne Kasumba, Civilian Planning and Liaison Officers in the Peace Support Division of the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa.

Click here to access the article.