Peace, Propaganda, and Natural Resources: The Geoeconomics of Rwandan Peacekeeping in Mozambique and Implications for European and African Regionalism Projects

Abstract

Since the end of the genocide in Rwanda, the small nation has solidified its reputation as an economic powerhouse among African countries, as well as the continent’s largest peacekeeping force. Some foreign governments have explicitly called on Rwanda for peacekeeping and military interventions before calling on larger regional organizations (namely, the Southern African Development Community). At the same time, other entities and analysts have questioned the legitimacy of Rwanda’s missions as well as the country’s ability to finance such missions, claiming the funds secretly arrive from France to protect French interests in Africa. This essay focuses on Rwanda’s peacekeeping missions in resource-rich areas of Mozambique, positing that, besides any geo-economic interest that may derive from Rwanda’s presence in such areas, the unilateral nature of Rwandan peacekeeping may represent a threat to African regionalism projects. Furthermore, French funding to Rwanda would imply a lack of alignment between the EU and its member states on dealings with foreign governments and security forces. The essay concludes with a series of proposals for the EU and AU, including ensuring greater alignment with its member states on external affairs and facilitating locally led peacebuilding and reconciliation platforms to root ownership of natural resources within the local population of northern Mozambique.