Defense, Diplomacy and Development: Making a 3D Strategy Work in the Great Lakes Region of Africa

Abstract

The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been the site of cyclical violence for years and, as a result, the country has failed to become a developed member of the international community. The International Rescue Committee estimated that 5.4 million people died in the region between August 1998 and April 2007 with over 400,000 persons displaced.1 Ethnic tensions exacerbated by non-state and state actors vying for power in the absence of a strong state have fueled a series of wars and crimes against humanity. While many members of the international community have attempted to intervene in the conflict in the hopes of finding a peaceful solution, a large-scale coordinated effort has not yet been structured; the lack of synchronized support allows the conflict to continue and further harm the region.