South Africa and the United Nations: Strengthening opportunities for effective peacebuilding

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South Africa can strengthen its peacebuilding engagements with the United Nations (UN) in a number of ways. In particular, South Africa has several opportunities to play a leading role in the structures of the UN peacebuilding architecture. The country has considerable experience in peacebuilding, ranging from its own peaceful transition to democracy to its engagements on the African continent. As such, South Africa can promote African views on peacebuilding at the UN. South Africa can also contribute to important debates, such as those surrounding the 2015 UN peacebuilding review. This paper draws on field research carried out by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) in May 2014.

About the authors

Amanda Lucey is a senior researcher in the Conflict Management and Peace Building Division of the ISS. She works on the 'Enhancing South African Post-Conflict Development and Peacebuilding Capacity in Africa' project. Amanda worked with MONUSCO as a political affairs officer in the DRC, and has previously worked with the UNDP in South Sudan as a rule of law officer. She holds an MPhil in Justice and Transformation (specialising in conflict resolution) from the University of Cape Town.

Sibongile Gida is a junior researcher in the Conflict Management and Peacebuilding Division of the ISS. Prior to working at the ISS she worked at the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) in the Knowledge Production Department. Sibongile holds a BPolSci in International Studies from the University of Pretoria and a B(Hons) in International Politics from the University of South Africa.

Gustavo de Carvalho is a senior researcher in the Conflict Management and Peacebuilding Division of the ISS. Gustavo has extensive experience in capacity development, policy support and research initiatives in the peacebuilding field in Africa. From 2009 to 2014 he worked at ACCORD as an analyst in its Training for Peace (TfP) Programme, and later as coordinator of its Peacebuilding Unit. Gustavo holds a BA in International Relations from the University of Brasilia, and an MSc in African studies from the University of Oxford.