The military disaster we suffered in the Central African Republic in March, when 15 of our troops were killed and dozens injured by rebels who overran the capital and toppled an unpopular president, did immense harm to South Africa's image as a continental leader.
Eight months later, after a successful peace-keeping and stabilisation mission in the war-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, we have resurrected that reputation.
Everything was wrong with the CAR mission which, official denials to the contrary, was not authorised by the African Union.
Even worse, we had far too few troops in Bangui to stop the rebels and it seemed that the main objective of the mission was to prop up the undemocratic President François Bozizé.
In contrast, South Africa's role in the AU intervention brigade that helped curb a raging rebel insurgency in the DRC was done by the book.
Our soldiers, who were given many months of intensive training, did not fight alone - they stood side by side with troops from Tanzania and Malawi - and gave support to Congolese government troops. The mission was authorised by both the UN and the AU and the objective - engaging the marauding M23 rebels in order to stabilise the eastern DRC - was noble.
Despite the fact they were facing battle-hardened, well-armed rebels adept at guerrilla warfare, no South Africans were killed in the Congo mission, which culminated in the M23 suing for peace.
This week, African leaders resumed negotiations on the long-delayed establishment of multi-nation rapid-response force to intervene in African crises.
If properly constituted, with well-trained troops and a clear mandate, such a force would mean that our leaders would no longer be confined to being spectators in African conflicts.
The Congo intervention brigade could provide an effective template for the establishment of such a force.
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