Mashariki Research and Policy Centre (MRPC), represented by Dr. Solomon Njenga, joined leading policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and security experts at the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) policy roundtable, “Military Missions in African Peacemaking: Adapting to a Changed World,” convened in partnership with the International Peace Support Training Centre (IPSTC) in Karen, Kenya, on 12–13 August 2026.

The two-day engagement examined a critical question for Africa’s peace and security future: How can military missions remain legitimate and effective as conflicts evolve, multilateral support contracts, and the global security order becomes increasingly fragmented?

For MRPC, the roundtable provided an important platform to contribute evidence and policy perspectives to a defining continental debate on African-led peace and security. Discussions examined the limits of military solutions, civilian protection and inclusion, the relationship between security operations and governance, partnerships and burden-sharing, and reforms needed to strengthen the legitimacy and effectiveness of peace operations.

A central message emerged: military action can create space for peace, but lasting peace depends on political legitimacy, accountable governance, regional ownership, and sustained efforts to address the underlying drivers of conflict.

For MRPC, these discussions reinforce the importance of moving beyond reactive security responses towards approaches that anticipate evolving conflict dynamics, strengthen prevention, and connect security interventions with the political and governance conditions necessary for sustainable peace.