An Anatomy Of The Republic Of Congo In Mediating African Crisis

This study aims to present an anatomy of the role played by the Republic of Congo(RC)in mediating the African crises during the 1980 s.Therefore it is a study of diplomacy.As a relatively small country situated in the central part of Africa,Congo has been regarded exceptional in terms of its internal stability and external peace.Economically,it is a middle-income level country due to exporting oil and high-quality limber-exporting.Politically and socially,it has been stable and peaceful since the 1980 s.In addition,RC has played a remarkable role in mediating the crises discussed in the thesis: such as several border conflicts and civil wars in African countries through all necessary efforts to settle the African crises.Regionally speaking,RC has been an integral part of the Economic Community of Central African States(ECCAS)and also the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa(CEMAC).For sure,all these achievements were not achieved easily.From the beginning of its independence in 1960,the RC had experienced almost two decades of social instability and economic sluggishness.Yet,since the 1980 s in which the rapid economic growth occurred,RC attached great attention to its good neighbor policy.As a member of Central Africa economic and monetary community,the RC maintains good relations with Congo Kinshasa,Gabon,Cameron Chad and Central African Republic(CAR).In light of this,the RC played a remarkable role in the crises of Sudan,Libya,Chad and Central Africa.As the study focuses on the nature of diplomacy and also as a sovereign state in Africa,the questions naturally go to ask what are the motivations behind the RC's involved into the mediations? Equally as a small state in Africa and particularly in Central Africa,how has the RC been successful in achieving the role of mediation and what benefits it has obtained and the costs it has to pay as a common practice.Accordingly,this thesis consists of four chapters as follows.The introduction focuses on the subject of the nature of diplomacy and the role played by the RC in the mediation.Several cases are presented supported by both facts and theories.Then it analyses the goals and means that the RC has possessed in order to achieve the ends.The chapter two continues to analyze the rationales behind the RC and its leading elite determine to play the role in mediation even though the RC is a small country in the region and Africa as well.The chapter three goes to each case in which it explains the motivations of the RC to act as a mediator in the crisis in Africa,which is divided into two sections,namely Section I,which details the causes of the political crisis in Central Africa and the definitions of the terms to be used,and Section II,which explains the motivations of the Republic of Congo to act as a mediator in the armed crises of neighboring countries.The study highlighted the role of the RC President Denis Sassou Nguesso as he did play the key role.The chapter four makes a comparative assessment of the benefits and costs which the RC has obtained as a mediator and the cost it needs to achieve that reputation.