A salute to peace in the DRC
Meet Lieutenant General Derick Mgwebi, South Africa’s military veteran in charge of the United Nation’s peace-keepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo
As Force Commander of the single largest United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in the world, Lieutenant General Derick Mgwebi has under his leadership over 20 000 military personnel from around the globe.
He was appointed as Force Commander of the UN Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) in December 2015 by the former Secretary General of the UN Ban Ki Moon, and is in charge not only of the armed forces stationed in different locations around the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) but also the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB).
In a move from peacekeeping only to peace enforcement, this trinational force – made up of Malawian, South African and Tanzanian elements – has the mandate of using force, if and when necessary, to protect civilians from armed and rebel groups.
Since his arrival in the DRC, Lt Gen Mgwebi has been carrying out complex,
“Africans must act together to play our rightful role in maintaining peace and security in Africa,” says Lieutenant General Derick Mgwebi, the South African military veteran in charge of the UN's armed forces
in the Congo.
mandated and difficult tasks in a vast, conflict-affected territory in the absence of a comprehensive peace agreement and in an environment fraught with operational and infrastructural challenges.
A hard job done well
MONUSCO's military peacekeepers' work is immensely sensitive and challenging, especially with regard to the protection of the population of the DRC. However, Lt Gen Mgwebi and his team are doing a sound job despite the odds, which is why the UN requested that he extend his contract until 2018.
With regard to how he fits into things in the DRC, Lt Gen Mgwebi explains that the MONUSCO's most senior person is the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG). He has two deputies; one is responsible for enforcing the Rule of Law, good governance and the justice system; while the other is responsible for all humanitarian aspects pertaining to the mission.The Force Commander
and Police Commissioner are on the same level as the two deputies.
As part of the top leadership, Lt
Gen Mgwebi is among the strategists who determine how best to execute the mandate of the mission. “My responsibilities are to advise the
SRSG with regard to MONUSCO force activities and to command the forces in the DRC. ”This includes giving guidance and engaging with the troops and implementing the mission's mandate through proper planning in respect of neutralising the armed groups and protecting the civilian population.
He explains that his key priorities when he accepted the position were to understand the UN system and become acquainted with the leadership, some of the key components of the mission and his own Force Headquarters people. He also had to understand the structure of the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) as he works very closely with them and initially relied on them to provide vital information on the security situation in the DRC. Assessing the level of readiness of the FARDC and understanding their approach to working with MONUSCO was also a priority.
In those early days in office, Lt Gen Mgwebi also had to ensure that he understood the DRC's different armed groupings, their programmes and method of operation. He then had to understand the challenges faced by the UN when engaging with these groupings.
With decades of experience, there were no big surprises when he arrived in the DRC. “Actually, being there just confirmed what I already encountered in the past. It is amazing how military officers and civilian staff from so many countries around the globe, with different political, social, religious and cultural backgrounds, are able to work together so effectively and in such a harmonious spirit. I also was, and still am, impressed by the talent and commitment of so many in the MONUSCO.”
DRC challenges
With regard to the unstable security conditions in the DRC and the primary factors that contributed to the situation, he says that the DRC should ‘at least share the issues of democracy, good governance and the rule of law'. He adds that addressing these issues will reduce the level of tension in the DRC.
“If we can solve that, we can reduce the level of division and support the politicians so that they can go forward. So those who are watching the DRC should be supportive and help advocate those aspects of good governance. And, of course, the mandate itself and the attitude of the host country towards the UN become very critical in terms of making the mission a success.The problems of Africa, for me as a military man, are not military. They are political.”
But, nonetheless, the military has a huge part to play in addressing these problems.
It is amazing how military officers and civilian staff from so many countries around the globe, with different political, social, religious and cultural backgrounds, are able to work
together so effectively and in such a harmonious spirit.”
“The armed groupings tend to wear the same uniform as the FARDC and this makes our task very difficult in dealing with them.Then there is the issue of the size of the country and the terrain that makes our work very difficult.The absence of infrastructure like roads and bridges also restricts movement and affects our operational capacity. This impacts on our ability to meet our mandate.
“The lack of political progress and political security are also challenges because of armed groups that enter villages to attack and kill civilians.”
Another challenge for Lt Gen Mgwebi is the role of the Framework Brigades (MONUSCO brigades that were on the ground before the FIB). “In essence, they co-exist with the armed groupings; they can know the base of the armed groupings about 10 km away from them but they would not go and attack that base because they call that target ‘operations' and they would only be available to protect the civilians. That is frustrating.
“The Security Council, when they renewed our mandate, was informed by us about the clause that said the FIB will neutralise and conduct targeted operations against the armed groupings. It should rather say the MONUSCO force will neutralise and conduct the targeted and offensive operations,” he says, because that will allow the Framework Brigades to play a more active role.
Inroads made
Lt Gen Mgwebi says that overall, the UN is doing a wonderful job in terms of setting conditions for the provision of peace within the DRC. “The work we do is very noble.
“It is important to have good governance structures in place and be willing to act decisively when needed. We must be committed to providing peace and security to the people. Africans must act together to play our rightful role in maintaining peace and security in Africa.”
The security landscape in the Eastern DRC changed significantly following the high-profile and decisive operation that resulted in the defeat of the rebel group, M23 – or Congolese Revolutionary Army – in 2013.The FIB provided the military manpower for the operation, which created the much-needed space for conflict resolution. “Since then, the FIB has been a very effective deterrence to further conflict,” says Lt Gen Mgwebi.
The MONUSCO military peacekeepers continue to impact positively on the lives of DRC civilians and their protection through ground and aerial patrols.
“MONUSCO's military component has made a tangible contribution to the implementation of the mission's mandate. Military peacekeepers in the Congo are deployed in areas where innocent civilians and displaced communities require the most protection. The FIB continues to support the FARDC to maintain peace in the Eastern DRC and to neutralise the armed groups terrorising innocent civilians.
“In the case of any emergency notification from our early response system, we are able to send troops to the affected areas in advance to defuse violence. It is worth mentioning that the military peacekeepers render emergency humanitarian aid to conflict-affected areas too,” he says. This includes the provision of food, water and medical aid as well as evacuation of the seriously wounded.
Indeed, aside from its peacekeeping mandate, MONUSCO's military component make a number of significant contributions to the DRC, says Lt Gen Mgwebi. “I think one of the primary support functions performed by the military component is the provision of escorts to humanitarian actors. I consider the facilitation of humanitarian access to be an immensely significant function performed by our troops. Similarly, we need to support our 70 bases, mostly in the eastern part of the DRC, by getting food and fuel to them.”
He says that initially there were mostly no roads or bridges but explains that the Engineering troops have fortified infrastructure in the
DRC by building essential roads and bridges. “Currently, they are busy with the development of Civil Aviation Authority offices, a Level 3 hospital, logistical compounds and offices. They are supporting the civilians in their area of operation; some go as far as constructing schools, dispensaries and other community facilities. Through initiatives like this, we win the hearts and minds of local communities and contribute to creating hope for a better future for the people living here.”
Apart from stabilising the
violence in the DRC, the MONUSCO has helped sensitise the different communities to the value of coexisting and solving their problems through peaceful means rather than violence.
“On the humanitarian side, the MONUSCO provides accommodation, shelter and food while engaging the local authorities in terms of finding solutions to their problems. So in that sense, the MONUSCO is making a difference and trying to reduce human rights violations.”
Women and war
Women in peacekeeping are very important because in field missions and conflict areas, the most vulnerable people are women and children.
He explains that female soldiers protect these vulnerable groups because they have a better understanding of the challenges women and children face. “Women have their own part in any job, so they should not be denied a chance to play their part. They should play their part strongly and perform well. They should develop their confidence and build their capacity to compete with men.”
He feels just as strongly about the incidence of criminal actions by a handful of peacekeepers on sanctioned missions over the years. “Sexual exploitation and abuse in peacekeeping is unacceptable.The UN maintains a zero tolerance policy with regard to sexual abuse.
“I have issued a directive to implement a non-fraternisation policy to all troop-contributing countries. We are committed to addressing abuse at all levels. This is a shared responsibility and we depend on a strong partnership to win this battle.”
Meanwhile, the disciplinary process for military contingents has been strengthened.
“I have also declared and instructed military police to conduct patrols in all areas deemed out of bounds for military peacekeepers, especially in areas where our military installations are in close proximity to urban and civilian population.
“There are also teams that implement the mission strategy on training, prevention, enforcement and remedial action and advise commanders on related issues. All allegations are investigated and if found to be true, the perpetrator will be repatriated to his country and his name will be sent to the UN for blacklisting.”
Parting thought
Although Lt Gen Mgwebi is poised to retire, he is keen to impart what he learnt in the DRC to the SANDF so that the knowledge and insights gained are not lost.
He stresses that professionalism and good leadership are key to the success of any military entity. “In this respect, nurturing these two elements early in the career of officers and developing both as the officer grows in the profession is very important. Officers must be trained to be good field commanders and also remain good managers where they take responsibility and make decisions while also retaining accountability for all their actions.
“Being a good professional officer does not only entail working very hard and continuously learning, but also taking the moral high ground. This implies impeccable conduct and discipline from the officer. It is critical we encourage young officers to work hard so they can rise to the top and not only lead national troops on international assignments, but also command multinational forces.”