Peacekeeping missions are one of the United Nations’ broader efforts to build and sustain global peace. They comprise the second-largest military force deployed abroad and represent less than half of a percent of global military expenditures in 2021. These forces have an ambitious mandate, and they operate on a tight budget.
Observation Missions are unarmed contingents of military or civilian observers that are tasked with monitoring cease-fires, troop withdrawals and other conditions set out in a peace agreement. They are a key part of the process that leads to the signing of a peace treaty. However, they do not have the capacity to intervene if either belligerent decides to renege on the agreement.
The UN peacekeeping mission has a diverse group of troops, police and personnel from various contributing countries and many of the belligerent states they are deployed to. The intermingling of these varied cultures can create complicated cultural interactions that impact the ability of a peacekeeping mission to be successful.
The failure of some UN peacekeeping operations – such as the 1994 genocide in Rwanda – led to a period of retrenchment and self-examination for the organisation. New theories and concepts started to emerge at the turn of the millennium, bringing peacekeeping closer to ideas of liberal peace and democracy. These include a focus on deterring rogue groups, and ensuring that the peace process is not derailed by a spoiler on either side of the conflict. Peacekeeping can also play a role in facilitating communication between belligerents to ease security dilemma concerns and provide them with an opportunity to signal their genuine intent for peace.