Rwanda seeks political gains from peacekeeping

Significance

The troops will engage in “combat and security” operations against local jihadists in support of Mozambique’s government, similar to a recent bilateral deployment to support government operations against rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR) since last December.

Impacts

• Rwanda’s willingness to use its military to curb regional instability will make it a key interlocutor for external powers engaged in Africa.
• Although participation in peacekeeping brings financial recompense, it is questionable whether this offsets the costs of such missions.
• Rwandan forces have sometimes drawn praise for going beyond their mandates to protect civilians, which further encourages such behaviour.