The impact of African external forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) conflict, 1990 - 2002

Abstract

This research is an analysis of the DRC conflict between 1990 and 2002. The study seeks to demonstrate that African states have affected the character of the DRC conflict. Research shows that African states which took minimal role in the internal affairs of their neighbours began taking an active role after the demise of the Cold War in 1991. The study argues that African states have exacerbated and fought an international war on DRC soil, making the country the vortex of political destabilization in the Great Lakes region. It is through these intervening countries that the conflict in DRC has to be understood. The overthrow of Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997 led to a security dilemma in the Great Lakes Region conflict system with DRC as the locus of conflict. This study proves that issues such as mineral resources, rebel movements and cross border ethnic integration and rivalry have impacted negatively on the DRC conflict. The armed conflict in DRC has eroded Great Lakes regional security relations and ushered in a new pattern and trend of conflict in post Cold War Africa. The internationalization of the DRC conflict has severely compromised non-interference in the internal affairs of states as articulated by the United Nations Charter.