Abstract
The study on which this thesis is based set out to determine if there is a nexus, in other words, a correlation, between mediation and leadership and how it may be captured during mediation processes. From Libya in the north to Zimbabwe in the south, from Sudan and South Sudan in the east to Mali in the west, and in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in central Africa, recurring conflicts have become the norm, even after mediation processes that led to the signing of peace agreements. The recurrences of conflict in Burundi and the DRC prompted this study. These conflicts have caused the loss of many lives, damage to property, and retardation of economic growth and development. A successful mediation process addresses the root causes of the conflict and prevents its recurrence, with the intention of leading to long-lasting and sustainable peace. This kind of mediation can be achieved by establishing principles that lead to good democratic governance and or leadership that acts as a promoter of peace. Unfortunately, the need to incorporate leadership during the mediation process has remained poorly understood, causing mediation processes in Africa to fail in bringing about the long-needed peace. Thus, the central aim of the study was to examine the nexus, or relationship, between mediation and leadership and its role in leading to a peaceful society in the post-mediation phase.
The study set up four key objectives that were derived from the aim. Firstly, to understand the theoretical framework that helped to theorise the nexus between leadership and mediation in conflict management. Secondly, to achieve insight that enables one to examine and understand the role of bringing the principles of leadership to the negotiation table during the mediation processes. Thirdly, to critique whether the conflict recurrences in Burundi and the DRC are the result of a failure to understand the mediation-leadership nexus by the mediators and parties involved in a conflict. Finally, to examine how the mediation-leadership nexus can act as a conflict deterrent or a peace enabler in post-mediation phases or post-conflict reconstruction situations. These objectives and aim were guided by the following main research question: To what extent can the interaction between mediation and leadership during a mediation process that leads to a comprehensive peace agreement be seen as an ingredient for achieving successful peace-building that leads to a peaceful society in Africa?
The study adopted a qualitative research design with an exploratory enquiry and case study approach. The methods used for data collection included a documentary analysis, interviews and field notes. In addition, content and thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. The cases under study were the mediation processes for Burundi and the DRC, which led to the finding that the recurrence of conflicts in Africa after a mediation process is due to the failure of African mediators to understand the nexus between mediation and leadership.
The study found that the mediation/leadership nexus is a significant ingredient not only to enable the success of a mediation process but also to enable the building of sustainable peace in today’s society.
The study concluded that, because ineffective and unethical leadership is the cause of many conflicts in Africa, the failure to understand this mediation/leadership nexus and to emphasise the significance of the leadership component during mediation processes and have it embedded in comprehensive peace agreements would continue to give more grounds for conflict relapse. In addition, the failure to deploy mediators who understand the role of this nexus would allow conflicts in Africa to continue intensifying in spite of the various bids to resolve them.