Islands of Stability
MONUSCO's legacy after 15 years in the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22456/2178-8839.150769Keywords:
Islands of Stability; MONUSCO; Peace Operations.Abstract
This article engages with debates on UN stabilisation operations through a case study of the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). It analyses the extent to which MONUSCO succeeded in building islands of stability in regions liberated from armed groups. The hypothesis is that the mission produced limited results, as its presence in priority areas was unable to alter dynamics of armed violence sustainably. It is further argued that the logic of stabilisation constrains political processes of conflict resolution, hindering sustained reductions in violence. Methodologically, the article develops a qualitative-quantitative case study based on longitudinal analysis of data on violent events, fatalities and peacekeeper presence between 2010 and 2024. The findings indicate that the regions prioritised by the stabilisation strategy continued to experience high levels of violence. The article concludes that the construction of islands of stability cannot be regarded as a lasting legacy of MONUSCO.
Downloads
References
ARMED CONFLICT LOCATION & EVENT DATA PROJECT (ACLED). Data: Democratic Republic of the Congo (2010-2023). 2024. Disponível em: <https://www.acleddata.com/data/> Acesso em: 14 abr. 2024.
ATLANTIC COUNCIL. Map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 2018. Disponível em: <https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/africasource/below-the-surface-a-game-changer-in-congolese-politics/> Acesso em: 14 abr. 2024.
BAREGU, Mwesiga. The Clones of “Mr. Kurtz”: Violence, War and Plunder in the DRC. African Journal of Political Science / Revue Africaine de Science Politique, v. 7, n. 2, p. 11-38, 2002. Disponível em: <https://doi.org/10.4314/ajps.v7i2.27329> Acesso em: 10 jun. 2024.
BARRERA, Alberto. The Congo Trap: MONUSCO Islands of Stability in the Sea of Instability, Stability: International Journal of Security and Development, v. 4, n. 1, Art. 52, 2015. Disponível em: <https://stabilityjournal.org/articles/10.5334/sta.gn> Acesso em: 10 abr. 2024.
BERDAL, Mats. The State of UN Peacekeeping: Lessons from Congo. Journal of Strategic Studies, v. 41, n. 5, p. 721-750, 2018. Disponível em: <https://doi.org/10.1080/01402390.2016.1215307> Acesso em: 16 maio 2026.
BYARUHANGA, Catherine. Has Ugandan rebel leader Joseph Kony been defeated? BBC News. 23 mai. 2017. Disponível em: <https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-39999324> Acesso em: 14 abr. 2024.
CARVALHO, Letícia; DUARTE, Geraldine. Consequências indesejadas das operações de paz de estabilização: estudo da atuação da MONUSCO na RDC. Conjuntura Austral, v. 13, n. 62, p. 110-126, 2022. Disponível em: <https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/7441/744181031008.pdf>. Acesso em: 10 maio 2026.
CASTELLANO, Igor. Congo, a guerra mundial africana: conflitos armados, construção do Estado e alternativas para a paz. Porto Alegre: Leitura XXI/Cebrafrica/UFRGS, 2012.
CURRAN, David; HUNT, Charles. Stabilization at the expense of peacebuilding in UN Peacekeeping Operations: more than just a phase?. Global Governance, v. 26, n. 1, p. 46-68, 2020. Disponível em: <https://www.jstor.org/stable/27082806> Acesso em: 11 abr. 2025.
DACIN, Octavian. Special Operations Forces in United Nations Peace Keeping Operations. STRATEGIES XXI International Scientific Conference: The Complex and Dynamic Nature of the Security Environment. Bucharest, p. 240-248, 2022. Disponível em: <https://revista.unap.ro/index.php/XXI_CSSAS/article/view/1347/1307> Acesso em: 16 maio 2026.
DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL. 135,000 people displaced and millions of people at risk as clashes intensify in North Kivu, DR Congo, 16 fev. 2024. Disponível em <https://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/135000-people-displaced-and-millions-people-risk-clashes-intensify-north-kivu-dr-congo> Acesso em: 14 abr. 2024.
DUARTE, Geraldine; CARVALHO, Letícia; SOUZA, Matheus A. C. Entre a contenção e a resolução: desafios históricos e contemporâneos das operações de paz da ONU. In: DUARTE, G.; CARVALHO, L (eds). Azul da cor da paz? Perspectivas e debates sobre as operações de paz da ONU. Belo Horizonte: Editora PUC Minas, 2022, p. 23-41.
DUARTE, Geraldine; CARVALHO, Letícia. “No Peace to keep?” Reflexões sobre as operações de paz de estabilização. In: DUARTE, G.; CARVALHO, L (eds). Azul da cor da paz? Perspectivas e debates sobre as operações de paz da ONU. Belo Horizonte: Editora PUC Minas, 2022, p. 238-265.
DUARTE, Geraldine; CARVALHO, Letícia. Operações de estabilização e prolongamento dos conflitos armados: estudo de caso do retorno do M23 na República Democrática do Congo. Araucaria: Revista Iberoamericana de Filosofía, Política, Humanidades y Relaciones Internacionales, v. 26, n.55, p. 227-250, 2024. Disponível em: <https://revistascientificas.us.es/index.php/araucaria/article/view/23317> Acesso em: 15 abr. 2025.
GEOCODED PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS (GEOPKO). Data MONUSCO (2010-2020). 2024. Disponível em: <https://www.pcr.uu.se/data/geo-pko/> Acesso em: 23 nov. 2023.
KARLSRUD, John. The UN at War: Peace Operations in a New Era. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
MONUSCO. Strategie Internationale de Soutien a la Securite et la Stabilisation (ISSSS) Pour L’Est de la RDC (2013-2017). Outubro, 2013. Disponível em: <https://monusco.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/1._issss_2013-2017_document_entier_-_copy.pdf>. Acesso em: 23 nov. 2023.
MONUSCO. Stabilization Strategy. 1, julho. 2024. Disponível em: <https://monusco.unmissions.org/en/stabilization-strategy-issss> Acesso em: 20 jul. 2024.
NANTULYA, Paul. The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Quest for Democracy Faces a New Test. African Center, 29 set. 2023. Disponível em: <https://africacenter.org/spotlight/drc-democratic-republic-congo-quest-democracy-test/> Acesso em: 02 abr. 2024.
PA-X ANALYTICS. PA-X Peace Agreements Database. Peace and Transition Process Data. Edinburgh: PeaceRep, University of Edinburgh, 2022. Disponível em: <https://www.peaceagreements.org/> Acesso em: 16 mai. 2026.
REUTERS. UN Security Council supports wind-down of Congo peacekeeping mission. 19 dez. 2023. Disponível em: <https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/un-security-council-adopts-resolution-phasing-down-peacekeeping-mission-dr-congo-2023-12-19/> Acesso em: 20 jul. 2024.
SCHWIKOWSKI, Martina; BASHI, Wendy; LOIKA, Marcus. What one more massacre in DR Congo says about MONUSCO. DW. 15 jun. 2023. Disponível em: <https://www.dw.com/en/what-one-more-massacre-in-dr-congo-says-about-monusco/a-65919529> Acesso em: 20 jul. 2024.
SLOAN, James. The Evolution of the Use of Force in UN Peacekeeping. Journal of Strategic Studies. v. 37, n. 5, p. 674-702, 2014. Disponível em: <https://doi.org/10.1080/01402390.2014.921853> Acesso em: 16 maio 2026.
SOLHJELL, Randi; ROSLAND, Madel. Stabilisation in the Congo: Opportunities and Challenges. Stability: International Journal of Security and Development, v. 6, n.1, Art. 2, 2017. Disponível em: <https://stabilityjournal.org/articles/10.5334/sta.478> Acesso em: 02 abr. 2024.
SOUZA, Graziene. Islands of Stability: new conception on the use of force regarding the implementation of protection of civilians. Brazilian Journal of International Relations, v. 5, n.2, p. 431-453, 2016. Disponível em: <https://revistas.marilia.unesp.br/index.php/bjir/article/view/5127> Acesso em: 10 abr. 2024.
TULL, Dennis. The limits and unintended consequences of UN Peace Enforcement: the Force Intervention Brigade in DR Congo. International Peacekeeping, v. 25, n.2, p. 167-190, 2017. Disponível em: <https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13533312.2017.1360139> Acesso em: 11 abr. 2024.
UNITED NATIONS. Escalating Violence in Democratic Republic of Congo Exacerbating Humanitarian Crisis, Special Representative Warns Security Council, Urging Durable Political Solution. 20 fev. 2024. Disponível em: <https://press.un.org/en/2024/sc15596.doc.htm> Acesso em: 05 maio 2024.
UNITED NATIONS. Report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations on uniting our strengths for peace: politics, partnership and people. 2015. Disponível em: <https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/70/95> Acesso em: 20 jul. 2024.
UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEPING. Where We Operate. 2022. Disponível em: <https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/where-we-operate> Acesso em: 20 jul. 2024.
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL. S/PV.7094. 13 jan. 2024. Disponível em: <https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/pro/n14/205/08/pdf/n1420508.pdf?token=VG17VaDjbIDyPxJfEQ&fe=true> Acesso em: 05 maio 2024.
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL. S/RES/1925. 28 mai. 2010. Disponível em: <https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/1925(2010)> Acesso em: 05 maio 2024.
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL. S/RES/2098. 28 mar. 2013. Disponível em: <https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/2098(2013)> Acesso em: 05 maio 2024.
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL S/RES/2717. 19 dez. 2023. Disponível em: <https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n23/412/66/pdf/n2341266.pdf?token=YxGkNoOcwehmYzYKZZ&fe=true> Acesso em: 05 maio 2024.
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL. S/RES/2773, 21 fev. 2025. Disponível em: <https://docs.un.org/en/S/RES/2773(2025)> Acesso em: 08 out. 2025.
UPPSALA CONFLICT DATA PROGRAM (UCDP). Fatalities RDC (2000-2022). 2024. Disponível em: <https://ucdp.uu.se/> Acesso em: 05 maio 2025.
VOGUEL, Christoph. Islands of stability or swamps of insecurity? MONUSCO’s Intervention Brigade and the danger of emerging security voids in eastern Congo. EGMONT Institute. 6 fevereiro, 2014. Disponível em: <https://egmontinstitute.be/islands-of-stability-or-swamps-of-insecurity-monuscos-intervention-brigade-and-the-danger-of-emerging-security-voids-in-eastern-congo/> Acesso em: 10 abr. 2024.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Geraldine Rosas Duarte, Letícia Carvalho, Cristiano Mendes
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
a. Authors retain the copyright and grant the journal the right to first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, which allows its use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, as well as its transformation and creations from it, as long as the original author and source are credited. Also, the material cannot be used for commercial purposes, and if it is transformed, or used as a basis for other creations, these must be distributed under the same license as the original.
b. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
c. Authors are allowed to deposit, in the repositories accepted by Conjuntura Austral, the preprint version of the manuscripts submitted to the journal prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access)
d. Authors are permitted and encouraged to publish and distribute online (in institutional and /or thematic repositories, on their personal pages, etc.) the postprint version of the manuscripts (accepted and published), without an embargo period.
e. Conjuntura Austral: Journal of the Global South, imbued with the spirit of ensuring the protection of regional academic and scientific production in Open Access, is a signatory to the Mexico Declaration on the use of the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license to guarantee the protection of academic and scientific production in open access.
Accepted 2026-05-29
Published 2026-09-23
