Beyond Stabilization: The Environment as Key for Sustainable Peace in the Central African Republic

José Miguel Barbosa, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra (Portugal)

This case study investigates the relationship between environmental governance and sustainable peace in the Central African Republic (CAR), reassessing how the United Nations stabilization mission (MINUSCA) engages with environmental challenges. Grounded in environmental peacebuilding and political ecology, the study critiques liberal peacebuilding paradigms that overlook socio-ecological drivers of conflict. It examines the extent to which natural resource management can foster cooperation between conflict-affected groups while addressing structural inequalities. Methodologically, the research adopts a qualitative extended case approach, drawing on semi-structured interviews with former MINUSCA personnel and grey literature to connect local environmental dynamics with broader regional and geopolitical forces. By evaluating both progress and persistent gaps in MINUSCA’s environmental mandate, the paper analyses how integrating local ecological knowledge and community-based stewardship can enhance peacebuilding outcomes. The findings suggest that environmentally informed interventions could help move CAR’s peace efforts beyond mere stabilization toward a more durable, positive peace.