What is a Peacekeeping Mission?
A Peacekeeping mission is an activity – often a military one – deployed by the United Nations to help prevent or stop wars and other large-scale violence. Research shows that when properly conducted, such missions can reduce civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as the risk of renewed warfare.
As the name suggests, UN peacekeeping missions are staffed by a mixture of UN personnel and military forces from contributing countries. The largest contribution is made by the United States, which provides a few dozen uniformed soldiers for each of its peacekeeping operations and shares the burden with other Security Council permanent members and allied countries.
UN peacekeeping operations range from narrow, ceasefire monitoring mandates to broad and ambitious undertakings like overhauling a national government. The most complex are multidimensional missions that aim to address the root causes of conflict by extending state authority into remote areas seized by rebels and other armed groups, including al-Qaeda affiliates in Mali.
While peacekeeping can save lives at a staggering cost, its impact is limited by the political support and resources it receives. The vast majority of current deployments, for example, are tasked with managing rather than resolving conflict and the associated issues of poverty, mass displacement, and mistrust among former fighters. To have a chance at long-term success, peacekeeping must shift its focus away from preserving ceasefires and protecting civilians to building a path to peace. That means addressing underlying dynamics of conflict, such as competing claims to land and other natural resources.
