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From rhetoric to practice: understanding variations in local ownership of UN DDR across three African peace missions
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1869484181999845376 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Buhrmann, Rolien Margarethe |
| author2 | Lamb, Guy |
| author_browse | Buhrmann, Rolien Margarethe Lamb, Guy |
| author_facet | Lamb, Guy Buhrmann, Rolien Margarethe |
| author_sort | Buhrmann, Rolien Margarethe |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135653 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-07-01T04:10:49.300Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135653 From rhetoric to practice: understanding variations in local ownership of UN DDR across three African peace missions Buhrmann, Rolien Margarethe Lamb, Guy Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science. Peacekeeping forces -- Africa Peace-building -- Africa Armed Forces -- Africa Conflict management -- Africa International relations Postwar reconstruction -- Africa Community development -- Political aspects -- Africa UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Buhrmann, R. M. 2026. From Rhetoric to Practice: Understanding Variations in Local Ownership of UN DDR Across Three African Peace Missions. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/2defc200-7b9e-4dc0-8662-76ad28269ffc ENGLISH ABSTRACT: United Nations (UN) post-conflict peacebuilding practices, including the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants, have been shown to reduce violence and prevent post-conflict rearmament under certain conditions. Nevertheless, many DDR programmes, most of which are in Africa, continue to produce mixed results, with reportedly limited sustainability and inadequate responsiveness to local conditions. Despite the theoretical “local turn” in peacebuilding and DDR literature, aimed at addressing these deficiencies, the concept of “local ownership” continues to fall short of being translated from rhetoric to practice in many instances. Adopting a post-liberal theoretical lens, this study addresses the underdeveloped analysis of these shortcomings in DDR literature by examining why there have been variations in the local ownership of DDR programmes in the context of UN peace missions in Africa. Drawing on data from 14 semi-structured interviews with DDR experts and practitioners, complemented by secondary desktop data, the study adopts a qualitative, most-similar comparative research design to investigate variations in local ownership across three African case studies: the MINUSCA DDR programme in the Central African Republic (2015–present), the UNOCI DDR programme in Côte d’Ivoire (2012–2015), and the UNMIS(S) DDR programme in South Sudan (2009–2012). By conducting a cross-case analysis of three potential variables, informed by prominent peacebuilding literature, the study examines how the nature of (i) local actor capacity, (ii) internal UN coordination, and (iii) operational flexibility influences the degree to which local ownership is realised in UN DDR programmes in Africa. It finds that the following conditions may inhibit genuine local ownership: limited organisational capacity of domestic actors, particularly government-representative actors; insufficient coordination between UN branches; and rigid operational frameworks and norms. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the influence of local actor capacity is overstated in the literature, while the flexible and collaborative approach of external stakeholders carries more weight. This analysis also underscores the inherently interactive nature of variables influencing local ownership, as well as how their effects may vary across different spheres of local actors. In light of the escalating conflict trends in Africa, local disillusionment with UN efficacy and legitimacy, and pending funding cuts to UN peace operations, the study’s findings are significant as they inform a preliminary framework of variables that might assist scholars and practitioners in better understanding how local ownership could translate from rhetoric to practice. In addition, the study illustrates how the UN’s institutional tendency of holding responsible local actors’ inevitable lack of post-conflict stability and resources for limited local ownership may risk legitimising liberal, interventionist imposition of international peace formulae. Finally, it suggests that the UN pivot away from overly standardised DDR frameworks in order to adopt a more flexible, streamlined, and contextually responsive approach to peacebuilding on the continent. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Verenigde Nasies (VN) se post-konflik vredesboüpraktyke, inslüitende die ontwapening, demobilisering en herintegrasie (DDR) van voormalige vegters, is voorwaardelik effektief in die vermindering van geweld en die voorkoming van herbewapening. Nietemin, ’n groot aantal programme, waarvan die meeste in Afrika is, lewer egter steeds beperkte en wisselvallige resültate. Die waarneming loop hand aan hand met onvoldoende volhoübaarheid en ’n gebrek aan ’n vermoe om te reageer op plaaslike toestande. Ten spyte van ’n teoretiese klem op die waarde van die bevolking se bydrae (die sogenaamde local turn) in die vredesboü- en DDR-literatüür, skiet die konsep “lokale eienaarskap” steeds dikwels tekort en word nie noodwendig altyd van retoriek na die praktyk oorgedra nie. Hierdie stüdie poog om deür die lens van post-liberale vredesboüteorie die tekortkominge van die DDR-literatüür aan te spreek. Dit ondersoek waarom daar variasies in die plaaslike eienaarskap van DDR-programme in die konteks van VN-vredesmissies in Afrika bestaan. Die stüdie maak gebrüik van prime re data üit 14 semi-gestrüktüreerde onderhoüde met DDR-kenners en -praktisyns, aangevül deür sekonde re akademiese bronne. Dit neem ’n kwalitatiewe, vergelykende navorsingsontwerp aan om variasies in plaaslike eienaarskap oor drie Afrikagevalstüdies te ondersoek: die MINUSCA DDR-program in die Sentraal-Afrikaanse Repübliek (2015–vandag), die UNOCI DDR-program in die Ivoorküs (2012–2015), en die UNMIS(S) DDR-program in Süid-Soedan (2009–2012). Deür gebrüik te maak van prominente vredesboü-literatüür, word die potensie le invloed van (i) plaaslike rolspeler kapasiteit, (ii) interne VN-koo rdinering, en (iii) operasionele aanpasbaarheid op die mate van plaaslike eienaarskap van VN DDR-programme in Afrika ondersoek. Die stüdie bevind dat die volgende toestande egte, verteenwoordigende plaaslike eienaarskap kan belemmer: beperkte plaaslike kapasiteit, veral van regeringsverteenwoordigers; onvoldoende koo rdinering tüssen VN-afdelings; en rigiede operasionele raamwerke en norme. Verder düi die bevindinge daarop dat die invloed van plaaslike rolspelers se kapasiteit oorskat word, terwyl die büigsaamheid van DDR mandate en die samewerking van eksterne rolspelers in reaksie op beperkte kapasiteit meer gewig dra. Hierdie analise beklemtoon die inherente wisselwerking tüssen veranderlikes en hül invloed op plaaslike eienaarskap, sowel as hoe die effek daarvan oor verskillende sfere van plaaslike rolspelers kan verskil. Met inagneming van eskalerende konflikneigings in Afrika, plaaslike ontnügtering met betrekking tot VN-doeltreffendheid en legitimiteit, en dreigende beperkings op VN-vredesfinansiering, is die stüdie se doelstellings toepaslik en noodsaaklik. Die bevindinge bied ’n raamwerk wat akademici en praktisyns kan bystaan om plaaslike eienaarskap van DDR te verhoog. Daarbenewens verwys die stüdie na die VN se institüsionele neiging om beperkte plaaslike eienaarskap aan plaaslike rolspelers se onvermydelike gebrek aan kapasiteit na konflik toe te skryf met ’n illüstrasie van hoe dit kan lei daartoe dat 'n liberale, oormatige toepassing van internasionale vredesformüles algemeen aanvaar word. Laastens stel die stüdie voor dat die VN wegbeweeg van oormatige gestandaardiseerde DDR-raamwerke om ’n meer büigsame, samewerkende en konteksspesifieke benadering tot vredesboü op die vasteland aan te neem. Masters 2026-04-07T08:51:03Z 2026-04-07T08:51:03Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135653 en_ZA Stellenbosch University 171 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Peacekeeping forces -- Africa Peace-building -- Africa Armed Forces -- Africa Conflict management -- Africa International relations Postwar reconstruction -- Africa Community development -- Political aspects -- Africa UCTD Buhrmann, Rolien Margarethe From rhetoric to practice: understanding variations in local ownership of UN DDR across three African peace missions |
| title | From rhetoric to practice: understanding variations in local ownership of UN DDR across three African peace missions |
| title_full | From rhetoric to practice: understanding variations in local ownership of UN DDR across three African peace missions |
| title_fullStr | From rhetoric to practice: understanding variations in local ownership of UN DDR across three African peace missions |
| title_full_unstemmed | From rhetoric to practice: understanding variations in local ownership of UN DDR across three African peace missions |
| title_short | From rhetoric to practice: understanding variations in local ownership of UN DDR across three African peace missions |
| title_sort | from rhetoric to practice understanding variations in local ownership of un ddr across three african peace missions |
| topic | Peacekeeping forces -- Africa Peace-building -- Africa Armed Forces -- Africa Conflict management -- Africa International relations Postwar reconstruction -- Africa Community development -- Political aspects -- Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135653 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT buhrmannrolienmargarethe fromrhetorictopracticeunderstandingvariationsinlocalownershipofunddracrossthreeafricanpeacemissions |