Bortom hjälparens mask: En WPR-analys av EU:s säkerhetspolicy implementering i Demokratiska Republiken Kongo : Vilken typ av maktdynamik representeras?

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines the European Union’s (EU) security policy towards the Democratic Republic of the Congo and investigates how this policy constructs and represents the problem in the country. Using Carol Bacchi’s framework ‘What’s the Problem Represented to be’, EU policy documents and statements are analyzed to shed light on the underlying power structures and discourses that shape the EU’s actions. The study shows that the EU’s problem representation on security aspects, emphasizes the symptoms rather than the underlying causes of the conflict. Assumptions made in the policy reveal a tendency to see the EU as a necessary actor to guarantee peace and stability, while the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is portrayed as ineffective and weak. Thus, the EU assumes the role of “guide” and “protector”, which risks reinforcing unequal power relations and creating dependence on external aid. Michel Focault’s genealogical method is used to provide a historical context for the EU’s relationship with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The thesis argues that the EU’s security policy in the Democraic Republic of the Congo needs to be reconsidered. To achieve real sustainable change in the country, the EU must acknowledge and address the negative effects of the dependent position in which the country has been placed, promote local ownership, and build a relationship based on mutual respect and equality.