Keypoints:
- Gbeho becomes one of few African women to lead a UN mission
- Representation gaps persist despite decades of peacekeeping
- Inclusion of women is key to durable peace agreements
WHEN António Guterres appointed Anita Kiki Gbeho as Special Representative for South Sudan and head of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), it did not make global headlines. But it should have.
At a time when conflicts persist from Sudan to the Sahel, and peacekeeping missions face growing scrutiny, this moment carries weight. Gbeho’s appointment places an African woman at the centre of one of the world’s most fragile peace processes—still a rare occurrence in the UN system.
This is not just another appointment. It is a quiet milestone.
A small circle of African women leaders
The number of African women who have led UN peace operations remains strikingly small.
Figures such as Bintou Keita in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Hannah Serwaa Tetteh in Libya illustrate progress, but they remain exceptions. Aïchatou Mindaoudou also served in Cote d’Ivoire, yet across decades of missions, representation has barely shifted.
This imbalance reflects deeper structural barriers within international institutions, where leadership has long been dominated by external actors and male decision-makers.
Why this moment matters now
Peacekeeping is not symbolic. It is operational, political, and often dangerous.
Leaders must navigate fragile ceasefires, manage armed actors, and maintain civilian protection under intense pressure. In such contexts, regional understanding and political nuance are essential.
African women leaders bring both.
Gbeho’s experience across complex political environments gives her credibility in South Sudan, where peace remains fragile and easily reversible.
Leadership shaped in difficult contexts
Gbeho’s leadership is grounded in years of navigating politically sensitive environments.
In Somalia, she supported efforts to secure a 30 percent quota for women in parliament. This required working within entrenched clan systems, patriarchal norms, and shifting political alliances.
Such gains do not happen organically. They require persistence, cultural fluency, and strategic negotiation.
That experience will be critical in South Sudan, where governance structures remain contested and fragile.
Shifting culture from the top
Leadership at this level shapes institutional behaviour.
UN peacekeeping missions have faced longstanding criticism over gender imbalance and misconduct. Appointing women to senior roles can help strengthen accountability, improve protection standards, and build trust with affected communities.
Keita’s tenure in the Congo demonstrated the complexity of this role, balancing calls for troop withdrawals with the need to protect civilians.
Tetteh’s work in Libya similarly highlights the importance of ensuring women are not excluded from political processes in fragile states.
The unfinished work of inclusion
Despite frameworks such as UN Security Council Resolution 1325, women remain underrepresented in formal peace negotiations.
Across African conflicts—from South Sudan to Sudan and the Sahel—women are often excluded from decision-making spaces or confined to advisory roles. Their priorities, including justice and social repair, are frequently sidelined.
Yet evidence shows that peace agreements are more durable when women participate meaningfully.
Gbeho’s role places her in a position to push inclusion beyond symbolism and into structural change.
Violence, accountability and credibility
Conflict-related sexual violence remains one of the most persistent challenges in war zones.
The work of Pramila Patten has helped reframe such violence as a deliberate tactic of war, pushing peacekeeping missions to integrate protection and accountability into their mandates.
However, in contexts such as South Sudan and eastern Congo, accountability remains limited. Survivors continue to face stigma, while protection mechanisms remain uneven.
Addressing this gap will be central to Gbeho’s leadership of UNMISS.
African leadership in a changing landscape
Gbeho’s appointment reflects a broader shift towards recognising African leadership in peacebuilding.
African countries host the majority of UN peacekeeping missions, yet leadership has historically been dominated by external actors. The rise of African women in these roles signals a gradual move towards regional ownership.
This shift comes amid widening instability—from Sudan to the Sahel—and a wave of military coups in West Africa that have reshaped governance and security dynamics.
A milestone—and a test
Gbeho’s appointment is both a milestone and a test.
African women have long been central to peacebuilding efforts, often informally and without recognition. What is changing is their presence in formal leadership structures.
But representation alone is not enough.
The real question is whether appointments like this will translate into meaningful shifts in power, participation, and protection. Whether women will move from the margins of peace processes to their centre.
The door has opened. The question is whether it will stay open.
Valerie Ndeneingo-Sia Msoka is a Tanzanian journalist, human rights advocate and policy analyst focused on gender equality, media freedom, and women’s empowerment in Africa, and a Contributing Editor at Africa Briefing
