Contemporary operational challenges facing United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Abstract

United Nations peacekeeping operations have become increasingly complex due to evolving conflict dynamics, asymmetric security threats and growing political pressures. Despite the substantial resources committed to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), persistent insecurity in eastern DRC continues to raise concerns regarding the operational effectiveness and credibility of UN peacekeeping. This study examined the contemporary operational challenges affecting UN peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Guided by Realism Theory and Organizational Legitimacy Theory, the study adopted a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were collected from a stratified sample of 352 respondents drawn from UN military personnel, UN police, civilian staff, regional actors, NGOs and local leaders through questionnaires, interviews and document review. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively through IBM SPSS Statistics (v.28), while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis and triangulated with quantitative findings. The findings revealed that frequent changes in mandates and inconsistent interpretation of Rules of Engagement reduced operational clarity and delayed responses to civilian protection threats. Poor coordination, particularly between MONUSCO and host-government institutions, undermined operational coherence and emerged as a major constraint to mission effectiveness. Resource limitations, especially inadequate troop levels and poor-quality equipment supplied by troop-contributing countries, significantly constrained operational capacity. The study further established that geopolitical interests and political interference continued to shape operational priorities, thereby limiting mission autonomy and weakening institutional legitimacy. Collectively, these challenges diminished public confidence in MONUSCO's ability to deliver sustainable peace and effective civilian protection. The study contributes to knowledge by empirically linking these operational challenges to the credibility and legitimacy of UN peacekeeping through the perspectives of multiple stakeholder groups, thereby extending existing scholarship that has largely examined such challenges separately or from strategic and institutional perspectives. Collectively, these challenges diminished public confidence in MONUSCO's ability to deliver sustainable peace and effective civilian protection. The study concludes that improving mandate clarity, strengthening inter-agency coordination, enhancing operational resources and insulating peacekeeping decisions from excessive political influence are essential for improving the effectiveness and credibility of UN peacekeeping operations in the DRC. It recommends harmonizing Rules of Engagement, strengthening coordination frameworks between MONUSCO and national institutions, investing in modern operational capabilities and promoting greater political neutrality in Security Council decision-making to enhance future peacekeeping performance.