Peacekeeping

Traditional Peacekeeping

Traditional peacekeeping missions are essentially military in nature and are conducted with the consent of the parties involved in the conflict only after a cease-fire has been agreed upon. Nearly all of the UN missions between 1945 and 1988 were traditional missions. Activities may involve monitoring and reporting on adherence to the cease-fire or other agreed-upon terms and investigating complaints of violations of those terms. Under this type of mission, military and diplomatic efforts proceed separately.

Multidimensional Peacekeeping

The international environment changed near the end of the Cold War and saw a rise in the number of internal armed conflicts, as opposed to conflicts between nations. With this change in environment came a need for a different type of peacekeeping mission—one that involved multiple dimensions. Multidimensional operations may incorporate military, police, and civilian components. Such operations may be used to support a transition to a legitimate government, such as supervising elections or transporting refugees to resettlement areas, among other activities not undertaken in a traditional peacekeeping mission. In addition, multidimensional operations often play a direct role in diplomatic or political efforts to resolve the conflict.

Peacekeeping is one of several interrelated activities the UN can use to maintain peace. Other activities include prevention, peacemaking, peace building, and peace enforcement. The line between these activities is not always clear, and strategies often overlap with one another as the situation changes. Although peacekeepers often support a cease-fire, they may also play a role in peacemaking and peace-building activities. An important difference between peacekeeping and peace enforcement is that a peacekeeping mission may include the use of force at the tactical level, while peace enforcement may involve the use of force at the strategic level.

Peacekeeping Reform

In 2000, the UN analyzed how it engages in peacekeeping as a result of increased demand for UN peacekeepers. Not only were peacekeeping forces in higher demand, they were also being sent into increasingly remote and volatile environments. The Brahimi Report, named after the chair of the panel responsible for the report, assessed the shortfalls of the peacekeeping system as it existed at that time and recommended some changes. The panel specifically noted that peacekeeping operations need to have clear and achievable mandates and that missions must have proper resources and equipment in order to be successful. The panel also called for increased financial support for missions and a renewed political commitment on the part of UN member states.

UN peacekeeping forces comprise personnel from member nations, as the UN does not have its own military force.

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