‘We Don't Want Another Observer Mission’: The East African Force and the Politics of Deployment in the DRC

Abstract

Regional peace operations increasingly use force to support host governments against armed groups. However, the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) reveals ongoing contestation over peace enforcement mandates. This article explores differing expectations among regional leaders, national actors, and Congolese civil society. Drawing on ethnographic research, it shows how the EAC's emphasis on diplomacy over military action became a central tension, contributing to the EACRF's early withdrawal from the DRC.