When thinking of African dictators who will be remembered as terrible tyrants and authoritarian leaders, Mobutu Sese Seko and Joseph Kabila, both former presidents of the Democratic Republic of...Show moreWhen thinking of African dictators who will be remembered as terrible tyrants and authoritarian leaders, Mobutu Sese Seko and Joseph Kabila, both former presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, are just two that immediately spring to mind. Despite the worldwide condemnation, African authoritarian regimes have persisted, such that it seems as if the majority of Africa lacks global freedom. These regimes' capacity to rule for so many decades raises the question: how do African systems contribute to the stability and longevity of African authoritarian regimes?Show less
This thesis conducts a comparative case study analysis of the differing strategies of Rwanda and Uganda in managing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the objective to...Show moreThis thesis conducts a comparative case study analysis of the differing strategies of Rwanda and Uganda in managing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the objective to contribute to a nuanced understanding of power dynamics and security imperatives in the African Great Lakes Region. By applying a realist theoretical International Relations framework, this study analyses how the respective strategies of Rwanda and Uganda reflect their economic, security, and geopolitical interests, as well as the implications for regional stability. The methodology of this thesis relies on a systematic document analysis of UNSC Group of Experts reports, complemented with research reports by NGOs and think tanks. This thesis reveals that Rwanda's policies combine centralised and confrontational strategies with its historical security narrative, whereas Uganda's policies focus on maintaining entrenched smuggling networks and strategic use of minerals to boost its economy and regional significance. The comparative analysis illustrates how both countries use conflict minerals to enhance their geopolitical position in the region, thereby contributing to regional instability and a security dilemma.Show less
Conflicts do not naturally attract the interest of policy makers nor do they naturally garner international recognition and attention. It is therefore essential to understand, if conflicts are...Show moreConflicts do not naturally attract the interest of policy makers nor do they naturally garner international recognition and attention. It is therefore essential to understand, if conflicts are ignored, how inattention manifests itself in inaction, what are the consequences of inattention and why does inattention exist. This thesis will seek to answer these questions within the primary confines of the conflict(s) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It will be argued that attention is a commodity predominantly distributed by policymakers and media organisations who may choose to pay attention or not. The consequences of inattention, such as increased levels of severity and violence, can therefore be attributed to those purposefully ignoring conflict.Show less
This thesis looks at the promotion of democracy within the Democratic Republic of Congo preformed by the UN mission MONUC. This thesis reasons that the strategy used within MONUC was not suitable...Show moreThis thesis looks at the promotion of democracy within the Democratic Republic of Congo preformed by the UN mission MONUC. This thesis reasons that the strategy used within MONUC was not suitable for the country as it was highly concentrated on the national level, barely taking the important local issues and causes for the continuing of violence into account. Next this thesis suggests that the promotion of democracy had unwanted side effects that partly evolved from the MONUC mandate that highly prioritised elections over the implementation of institutions that could have guided the elections and regulated the local security issues that the country was facing.Show less
This paper explores the effects of the reconciliation policies in Rwanda that have been implemented after the genocide in 1994 on the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC. An overview of the ethnic...Show moreThis paper explores the effects of the reconciliation policies in Rwanda that have been implemented after the genocide in 1994 on the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC. An overview of the ethnic tension that eventually caused the genocide is given in order to give an understanding of the ethnic relation between the Hutus and the Tutsis. The events of the genocide also show what caused the difficult relation between the international community and the current Rwandan government and how the conflict shifted borders. In the aftermath of the genocide, the Rwandan government led by Paul Kagame, implemented policies to create a national narrative and reject the ethnical division that caused the genocide, but at the same time, the national narrative clearly identifies the victims and the predators of the genocide. Even though the ethnic issues are seemingly resolved in Rwanda, ethnicity still plays an important role in the conflict in Eastern Congo. Hutu refugees are as a collective regarded as the predators of the genocide and they are still fighting Tutsi rebel groups who are supported by Kagame and his RPF forces.Show less
This study examines the supply chain of cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo and as such put emphasis on the need for transnational resource control in utilising critical raw materials...Show moreThis study examines the supply chain of cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo and as such put emphasis on the need for transnational resource control in utilising critical raw materials needed for low carbon technologies originating in conflict-prone states. In contrast to other studies, we analyse the extractive industry of a critical raw material originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo rather than focussing on the conflict minerals in the east of the country. First, we identify several barriers to utilization of critical raw materials in general. Additionally, we apply these barriers to the national and transnational trade dimensions that have affected the utilization of cobalt in recent years. Using single-case analysis, we find barriers in both the artisanal mining industry and the formal extraction industry. We find evidence of a clear absence of national and transnational regulated due diligence standards. Moreover, we demonstrate that transnational governance initiatives contribute to a solution in the cobalt mining industry in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Finally, we demonstrate that our findings can be applied more general and that transnational resource control is a remedy to the challenges in utilising critical raw materials needed for low-carbon technologies originating in conflict-prone states.Show less
The DRC has been a conflict-ridden country since pre-colonial times, it is paradoxical that a country so rich in natural resources remains so poor and underdeveloped. This thesis attempts to...Show moreThe DRC has been a conflict-ridden country since pre-colonial times, it is paradoxical that a country so rich in natural resources remains so poor and underdeveloped. This thesis attempts to discover whether the modern, industrialised countries play any role in the perpetuation of the conflict situation in the DRC regarding the exploitation of 'Coltan' which is a widely used mineral for the manufacturing of smartphones and other electronic devices. The historical legacies of the DRC will be explored, an analysis of the conflict situation in the eastern provinces of the DRC will be provided and the commodity chain of coltan will be discussed.Show less
