QUESTION.
Negotiation and mediation is a key in resolving conflicts of different nature and magnitude, critically discuss how negotiation and mediation can be applied in the case of natural resources conflict in the democratic republic of congo.
INTRODUCTION.
It is the deadliest war in the world today since world war two, yet rarely is it seen on the newspapers or make the headlines on our screens in the news. The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is a mineral rich country in the heart of Africa, so far has claimed the lives of over 3.5 million people since 1998. Every other day more than 1,200 civilians die, some as a direct result of the violence, but others due poor medical care and hunger.. The deaths of these
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There has been two wars, one was in 1996 and the other began in 1998, which left Congo devastated. During the first war, the two neighboring countries Rwanda and Uganda sent their armed forces to invade the then ruler Mobutu Sese Seko(A very corrupt leader)who was overthrown and replaced by Laurent Desire Kabila as the new president. President Kabila changed the name of the country from Zaire to Democratic Republic of Congo. He also managed to push out the Rwandan and Ugandan soldiers out of the country who had helped him gain victory.
In 1998, however this Ugandan and Rwandan forces did not want to lose their role in Congo, so they turned against Kabila’s administration hence starting the second Congo war, one which attracted in other African Countries including the likes of Zimbabwe ,Angola, Namibia who were supporting Kabila and Burundi who joined the Rwandans and Ugandans. This war became known as “Africas first world war.’
WHY IS THE TENSION SO
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In my opinion, this mediator would be someone from the United Nations because of the respect of parties to this organization. In that way, there would not be any crisis during the negotiation table and more comprehensive agreement would be signed. Secondly, I believe that the Kampala peace talks should have been more comprehensive. In other words, all the primary and secondary actors should have participated in the peace talks. In that talk, Rwanda and Uganda should have also be included Rwandan genocide is the reason why the conflict started in the Eastern Congo .Rwanda actively supports the M23 with the military stuff and money; however, Rwanda took place neither in the talks nor in any agreement.TheM23 insurgency was founded based on the March 23 agreement and that agreement was also not including any article regarding the Rwanda‘s support of CNDP rebels the mean time,theM23wasestablished and they continue to take support from Rwanda. Apart from the agreement, international organizations, the countries like US and UK and some African countries could put sanctions on Rwanda in order to discourage them and to break the Congolese conflict circle