Nelson Mandela International Essay Competition 2008

Nelson Mandela
International Essay Competition

On African Security and Development

Winner announced for 2008 Prize

Imagining the Congo Secure and Stable
J. Peter Pham - Winner

Time for a New Deal: Rational Investment and Nation-building in Congo
Stephen Carter - Runner-up

Bringing the Local Back into the DRC’s ‘Post’ Conflict Transition: What Role Should Local Solutions Play in Bringing Peace to the Congo?
Chris Wake - Runner-up

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is struggling to recover from the deadliest conflict since the Second World War. Despite the presence of the largest UN peacekeeping operation (MONUC) in the world today, there is every possibility the Congo will relapse into devastating civil war. Both its colonial and post-colonial history has been brutally scarred by endemic corruption, external interference and ethnic strife. Congo is the third largest country in Africa and possesses vast mineral wealth, but its immense economic potential has never been realised. If Africa is gradually shaking off its image as ‘the hopeless continent’, today the Congo would still epitomise the ‘hopeless country’.

The 2008 Nelson Mandela International Essay Competition on African Security and Development invites entrants to examine the case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, explore why it remains such a dysfunctional, conflict-prone state, and speculate on future options for the country. Will the DRC’s future always be defined by its violent past and will its development always occur within the context of conflict management/resolution? Or can we envisage a future in which sustainable peace paves the way for sustainable development? How can sustainable peace best be achieved? Other issues which could be examined include the question of whether retaining the DRC’s current borders is the best solution to the perennial crisis; or might a ‘Balkans option’ offer the best long-term solution for its population, regional security and political stability? In addressing this question entrants might choose to examine the role of militias and insurgents; neighbouring countries, such as Rwanda, or global powers such as China; MONUC; NGOs; and multinational companies. In the past all of have been accused of exacerbating Congo’s security and governance problems.

This competition was established jointly by RUSI and The Brenthurst Foundation, with the generous support of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, to encourage new perspectives on African Security and Development.