International peacekeeping trends: the significance of African contributions to African peacekeeping requirements

This article provides an overview of UN peacekeeping operations with special reference to the African continent. More specifically, it reflects on current UN peacekeeping operations and discusses international contributions to African peacekeeping requirements. In this regard, it focuses on the nature and profile of international involvement in the UN's most challenging missions on African soil, namely the missions in Sierra Leone and the Democratic Republic of Congo with a view to assessing current international trends. In addition, the article also reflects on developments among African regional organisations in undertaking operations in the realm of peace and security. Two pressing questions are especially addressed: To what extent are developed (industrial) states still involved in peace support in Africa and to what extent have African states assumed greater responsibility for providing the UN and other multinational organisations with peacekeeping personnel?