Overview

In 2007, Martin Luther Agwai was deployed to Darfur as Force Commander of UNAMID, which, as the first African Union–UN hybrid mission, was to become the largest peacekeeping operation in the world. Four years earlier, Darfur had imploded, descending into violent conflicts. The international community – in the form of both activists and state actors – felt it could not remain uninvolved lest a genocide on the scale of Rwanda occurred. Despite such lofty intentions, UNAMID proved to be high on promise but low on commitment and delivery. Ultimately, it failed to address the conflicts taking place, much less build a sustainable peace. Agwai provides unique insight into what went wrong in Darfur, and the myriad challenges facing international peacekeeping operations more generally. Crucially, he highlights the lack of multi-level cooperation between the people of Darfur and the intervening parties, and how the absence of a bottom-up approach to peacebuilding works against peace being both achieved and maintained.

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9780755642731

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Reviews

Among the numerous books on peacekeeping in Africa, there is one standout book that offers a first-hand account from an insider who was at the forefront of leadership in one of Africa’s least understood conflicts. General Agwai’s book provides a vivid account of the complexities and challenges of peacekeeping, offering insight into the struggles faced by leaders in resolving conflicts. Lovers of peace and security in Africa and beyond should read this important book. * General Abdulsalami Abubakar, GCON, Nigeria’s former Head of State, 1998-1999 * This is an immensely valuable account of how UNAMID, an innovative but resource-constrained hybrid mission, endeavoured to keep the peace in a difficult conflict and geopolitical environment. That the mission was able to achieve any success in such an environment, no matter how small, was in no doubt due to the fortitude of the multinational troops and the astute and outstanding leadership of UNAMID’s Force Commander, General Martin Luther Agwai and his highly motivated team. The skilful balance between memoir, sober and honest reflections, and scholarly analysis makes Peacekeeping in Darfur a must read for Africa and a world that is sorely in need of peace and stability. * Ismail Rashid, Professor and Chair of History on the Marion Musser Lloyd '32 Chair, Vassar College, New York, USA * An insightful and thought-provoking analysis of peacekeeping operations in the complex and challenging context of Darfur. General Agwai’s book offers a valuable contribution to the understanding of peacekeeping, leadership, and the dynamics of conflict resolution. A must-read for researchers, practitioners, and anyone interested in the evolving nature of peace and security interventions. * Dr. Alhadji Sarjoh Bah, Director, Conflict Management Directorate, the African Union Commission * This is a meticulous and heartfelt account of the challenges that peacekeepers face while undertaking the arduous task of keeping the peace in the Darfur region of Sudan. It was an area of complex and deep conflict, a place where most dared not tread. It was a conflict that long engaged local, regional, and global actors. Written by a highly respected head of that difficult but important mission, I can say from my personal experience that readers have much to learn from this book. It deepens our understanding of not just the current challenges the Sudan is confronted with but also the achievements and limitations of the management and resolution of the Darfur conflict by the hybrid mission of the African Union and the United Nations. Through it all, as with all worthwhile missions of that type, the focus must remain the implications for human beings of the relative success or failure of the mandated mission. I congratulate General Martin Luther Agwai for this invaluable contribution to our understanding of the issues connected to peacekeeping in Darfur and its implications for Africa and the world. * Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Former Director General of Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) * A remarkable book - accessible, reader-friendly and versatile. * Professor Iwebunor Okwechime, Department of International Relations, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. *

Among the numerous books on peacekeeping in Africa, there is one standout book that offers a first-hand account from an insider who was at the forefront of leadership in one of Africa’s least understood conflicts. General Agwai’s book provides a vivid account of the complexities and challenges of peacekeeping, offering insight into the struggles faced by leaders in resolving conflicts. Lovers of peace and security in Africa and beyond should read this important book. * General Abdulsalami Abubakar, GCON, Nigeria’s former Head of State, 1998-1999 * This is an immensely valuable account of how UNAMID, an innovative but resource-constrained hybrid mission, endeavoured to keep the peace in a difficult conflict and geopolitical environment. That the mission was able to achieve any success in such an environment, no matter how small, was in no doubt due to the fortitude of the multinational troops and the astute and outstanding leadership of UNAMID’s Force Commander, General Martin Luther Agwai and his highly motivated team. The skilful balance between memoir, sober and honest reflections, and scholarly analysis makes Peacekeeping in Darfur a must read for Africa and a world that is sorely in need of peace and stability. * Ismail Rashid, Professor and Chair of History on the Marion Musser Lloyd '32 Chair, Vassar College, New York, USA * An insightful and thought-provoking analysis of peacekeeping operations in the complex and challenging context of Darfur. General Agwai’s book offers a valuable contribution to the understanding of peacekeeping, leadership, and the dynamics of conflict resolution. A must-read for researchers, practitioners, and anyone interested in the evolving nature of peace and security interventions. * Dr. Alhadji Sarjoh Bah, Director, Conflict Management Directorate, the African Union Commission * This is a meticulous and heartfelt account of the challenges that peacekeepers face while undertaking the arduous task of keeping the peace in the Darfur region of Sudan. It was an area of complex and deep conflict, a place where most dared not tread. It was a conflict that long engaged local, regional, and global actors. Written by a highly respected head of that difficult but important mission, I can say from my personal experience that readers have much to learn from this book. It deepens our understanding of not just the current challenges the Sudan is confronted with but also the achievements and limitations of the management and resolution of the Darfur conflict by the hybrid mission of the African Union and the United Nations. Through it all, as with all worthwhile missions of that type, the focus must remain the implications for human beings of the relative success or failure of the mandated mission. I congratulate General Martin Luther Agwai for this invaluable contribution to our understanding of the issues connected to peacekeeping in Darfur and its implications for Africa and the world. * Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Former Director General of Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) *

Among the numerous books on peacekeeping in Africa, there is one standout book that offers a first-hand account from an insider who was at the forefront of leadership in one of Africa’s least understood conflicts. General Agwai’s book provides a vivid account of the complexities and challenges of peacekeeping, offering insight into the struggles faced by leaders in resolving conflicts. Lovers of peace and security in Africa and beyond should read this important book. * Abdulsalami Abubakar, General, GCON, Nigeria * This is an immensely valuable account of how UNAMID, an innovative but resource-constrained hybrid mission, endeavoured to keep the peace in a difficult conflict and geopolitical environment. That the mission was able to achieve any success in such an environment, no matter how small, was in no doubt due to the fortitude of the multinational troops and the astute and outstanding leadership of UNAMID’s Force Commander, General Martin Luther Agwai and his highly motivated team. The skilful balance between memoir, sober and honest reflections, and scholarly analysis makes Peacekeeping in Darfur a must read for Africa and a world that is sorely in need of peace and stability. * Ismail Rashid, Professor, Vassar College, USA * An insightful and thought-provoking analysis of peacekeeping operations in the complex and challenging context of Darfur. General Agwai’s book offers a valuable contribution to the understanding of peacekeeping, leadership, and the dynamics of conflict resolution. A must-read for researchers, practitioners, and anyone interested in the evolving nature of peace and security interventions. * Alhadji Sarjoh Bah, Dr, African Union Commission, Sierra Leone * This is a meticulous and heartfelt account of the challenges that peacekeepers face while undertaking the arduous task of keeping the peace in the Darfur region of Sudan. It was an area of complex and deep conflict, a place where most dared not tread. It was a conflict that long engaged local, regional, and global actors. Written by a highly respected head of that difficult but important mission, I can say from my personal experience that readers have much to learn from this book. It deepens our understanding of not just the current challenges the Sudan is confronted with but also the achievements and limitations of the management and resolution of the Darfur conflict by the hybrid mission of the African Union and the United Nations. Through it all, as with all worthwhile missions of that type, the focus must remain the implications for human beings of the relative success or failure of the mandated mission. I congratulate General Martin Luther Agwai for this invaluable contribution to our understanding of the issues connected to peacekeeping in Darfur and its implications for Africa and the world. * Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, Ambassador, Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency, Nigeria *

Author Information

Martin Luther Agwai served as Force Commander of UNAMID in 2007–2009, and was Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Staff in, respectively, 2003–2006 and 2006–2007. Since 2016, he has been a Visiting Professor at the African Leadership Centre, King’s College, London. Akibode Fasakin is Research Aide to General Agwai. He is a Doctoral Candidate at the Swedish Defence University and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. He was a Fellow of the African Leadership Centre’s Peace and Security Programme at King’s College, London.

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