Explanation: UN peace operations seek to create and maintain peace

As the world faces the highest number of conflicts since 1945 and a rising death toll from war and an increasing number of peace operations deployed to stem violence rather than implement agreements, the UN and its Member States must adapt to ensure these missions remain relevant. Secretary General Antonio Guterres told the General Assembly on Wednesday.

“UN peace operations are an indispensable tool for maintaining international peace and security, but to be more effective, they must adapt to new realities,” Guterres said.

At UN Headquarters in New York, the Secretary General presented first review about the future of all forms of UN peace operations in request from the landmark Pact for the Future and offers recommendations for Member States to consider on how UN tools can be adapted to meet evolving needs and future challenges.

What are UN peace operations?

The Secretary-General’s review covers a broad spectrum of UN peace operations. That includes civilians special political mission And peace enforcement operations endorsed by Security Council – from a two-person office supporting a Personal Envoy to a large, multidimensional peacekeeping operation.

“UN peace operations are an important form of multilateral action,” Guterres said.

“They help defuse crises, stop conflicts, maintain ceasefires and protect civilians. In countries marred by bloodshed, they create space for dialogue and pave the way to peace.”

‘Blue Helmet’ View

Since 1948, the Council has authorized UN peacekeeping forces to help parties to a conflict reach a political solution, prevent disputes from turning into conflicts and reduce armed violence while the search for a political solution continues, with 11 active missions.

Known colloquially as the “Blue Helmets” for their distinctive uniforms, UN peacekeepers are guided by three main principles: there must be agreement from the parties to the conflict, impartiality and not use force except in self-defense or maintaining their mandate.

Their work can be dangerous – more than 4,500 UN peacekeepers has died in missions around the world – and their efforts have been widely recognized, including when carried out collectively received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988 “to prevent armed clashes and create conditions for negotiations”.

Special political mission

Special political missions consist of civilian personnel deployed under Security Council mandates to prevent conflict, mediate peace discussions and support political transitions.

They do not rely on large military forces or armed forces, but rather collaborate with governments, parties to conflict, regional organizations and civil society.

The UN has deployed 167 such missions since 1948, with about 40 active by 2024, according to the report review by the UN Department of Political Affairs and Peacebuilding.

Peace enforcement

The Security Council authorizes peace enforcement operations under Chapter VII UN Charterwhich mandated them to implement a series of measures, including the use of military force.

In contrast to peacekeeping missions and special political missions, peace enforcement does not necessarily require the consent of the parties to the conflict, and the “Blue Helmets” do not participate directly.

In a number of countries recently, such as Haiti, Mali and Somalia, UN peace missions have operated alongside peace enforcement operations conducted by non-UN forces authorized by the Council, carrying out mandates focused on supporting national political processes and broader peace consolidation tasks.

Council-mandated peace support operations deployed by the African Union also fall into this category.

Current situation

The current environment for peace operations has deteriorated, the UN Secretary General warned in his review.

Conflicts have become more complex, comprehensive peace agreements are increasingly rare and funding has declined, with recent budget cuts slashing nearly half a billion dollars for peacekeeping and $96.3 million for special political missions, according to the report.

For Guterres, peace operations cannot be an alternative to the political will of the parties involved to end the conflict, even though several missions are currently operating amidst deadlocked negotiations and high levels of violence.

“No peace operation and political process supported by the UN can succeed without the solid and cohesive support of Member States,” he said.

From drones to disinformation

Guterres said mission mandates for peace operations should be narrowly focused with achievable objectives, adaptable, cost-effective, accountable – especially those involving claims of sexual exploitation and abuse – and collaborate with Member States and UN offices.

In practice, adaptation means more than simply rewriting mandates. The report calls for a lighter and more mobile mission footprint, more robust data and threat analysis, technology to counter drones and disinformation, and more measures to ensure the safety of peacekeepers.

Mr. Guterres identified missions focused on peace Colombia and border disputes between Cameroon and Nigeria as an example of what peace operations can achieve under the right conditions.

Looking to the future

The Secretary-General’s review also contains dozens of recommendations to “reset peace operations for a new geopolitical era”, characterized by more wars, significant financial constraints and fragmented support for peacekeeping missions.

Recommendations include:

• Prioritize the creation of conditions for the progress of the political process
• Deploy missions only for credible political purposes
• Strengthen partnerships with host countries
• Clarify the division of labor between UN agencies
• Plan an exit strategy and transition plan from the start

Most importantly, the future of UN peace operations depends on member states’ confidence that despite shortcomings, they remain an important instrument in creating conditions for ending conflicts, according to the UN Secretary General.

“Together, we must build a shared vision of what each mission can achieve throughout its life cycle,” Guterres said.