Africa Today Seminar: The Role of the Netherlands Military in Operations in Africa

Dutch military involvement in Africa dates back to the early 1960s and ranges from medical support operations in the UN mission in the Congo in 1960 to the deployment of a marine-corps unit as part of the European peace-keeping mission in Chad and the Central African Republic in 2008. This seminar will consider past Dutch missions, how they have evolved and the role the Dutch military is playing in Africa today.

Robert Lemstra has a Masters in African languages and cultures from Leiden University. Since 2007 he has been working as a researcher/lecturer on Africa at the Netherlands Ministry of Defence in its Culture, Historical Backgrounds and Information Section. He advised the Dutch marines in Chad and has also visited Kenya, Southern Sudan and Burundi.