"[The first United Nations peacekeeping operation] was an attempt to confront and defeat the worst in man with the best in man; to counter violence with tolerance, might with moderation, and war with peace.…. Ever since then, day after day, year after year, United Nations peacekeepers have been meeting the threat and reality of conflict, without losing faith, without giving in, without giving up."
Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations

Evolution of peacekeeping

Peacekeeping is a technique pioneered and developed by the United Nations that defies simple definition. It is based on the principle that an impartial presence by the United Nations on the ground can ease tensions and allow negotiated solutions in a conflict situation. Known widely as "blue helmets" or "blue berets" because of their distinctive headgear, for over half a century United Nations peacekeepers have patrolled buffer zones between hostile parties, monitored ceasefires and helped defuse local conflicts, allowing the search for durable political settlements to continue.

This "traditional" United Nations peacekeeping continues. Military personnel and structure remain the backbone of most operations. Increasingly, however, the many faces of peacekeeping include civilian police officers, electoral experts and observers, de-miners, human rights monitors, specialists in civil affairs and governance, and experts in communications and public information. Their responsibilities range from protecting and delivering humanitarian assistance to helping former opponents carry out complicated peace agreements; from assisting with the demobilization of former fighters and their return to normal life to supervising and conducting elections; from training civilian police to monitoring respect for human rights and investigating alleged violations; and from coordinating the transition of a territory to autonomous status to setting up a transitional administration of a territory as it moves towards independence.

The success of a peacekeeping operation depends on a genuine desire on the part of the warring parties to solve their differences peacefully, a clear mandate, strong political support by the international community as well as the provision of the resources necessary to achieve the operation's objectives.

Since 1948, there have been 55 peacekeeping operations, 15 of which are currently in the field. As of 1 October 2002, there were some 44,300 uniformed personnel and over 11,000 civilians participating in these operations.

Aims of peacekeeping

Each peacekeeping operation has a specific set of mandated tasks, but all share certain common aims - to alleviate human suffering and to create conditions and build institutions for self-sustaining peace. The presence of a peacekeeping operation on the ground contributes to this aim by introducing the United Nations as a third party with a direct impact on the political process.

Peacekeeping operations often consist of several components, including a military component, which may or may not be armed, and various civilian components encompassing a broad range of disciplines. Depending on their mandate, peacekeeping missions may be required to:

• Deploy to prevent the outbreak of conflict or the spill-over of conflict across borders;
• Stabilize conflict situations after a ceasefire to create an environment for the parties to reach a lasting peace agreement;
• Assist in implementing comprehensive peace agreements;
• Lead states or territories through a transition to stable government based on democratic principles, good governance and economic development.

Member States

Each time a new peacekeeping operation is authorized, its components must be assembled "from scratch" or reconfigured to meet the new mandate. Troop and police contributing countries provide the military personnel, military observers and civilian police officers required. The United Nations compensates each country for the cost of troops and equipment through a leasing agreement. Military and civilian police personnel in peacekeeping operations remain members of their own national establishments but serve under the operational control of the United Nations and are expected to conduct themselves exclusively in accordance with the international character of their mission.

All Member States share the costs of United Nations peacekeeping operations. In 2002, estimated annual costs stood at about $2.63 billion.

The General Assembly apportions these expenses based on a special scale of assessments applicable to peacekeeping. This scale takes into account the relative economic wealth of Member States, with the permanent members of the Security Council required to pay a larger share because of their special responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Many countries have voluntarily made additional resources available to support United Nations peacekeeping efforts on a non-reimbursable basis in the form of transportation, supplies, personnel and financial contributions above and beyond their assessed share of peacekeeping costs.

The 15-member Security Council authorizes the deployment of a peacekeeping operation and determines its mandate following intensive consultations among Member States, the Secretariat and the parties to the conflict. Members of the Security Council, particularly the five permanent members, and countries contributing personnel play a particularly important role. Regional arrangements are also often involved. Consultation begins with the planning stage of an operation and continues throughout its duration. The Secretary-General reports to the Security Council on a regular basis concerning the activities of the operation.

New directions

Recent years have seen major changes in the number and nature of conflicts brought before the United Nations. The post-cold war period has been characterized by a proliferation of civil wars and other armed conflicts within States, threatening international peace and security and causing massive human suffering. Peacekeeping, initially developed as a means of dealing with inter-State conflict, has been increasingly applied to intra-State conflicts and civil wars. Today's conflicts frequently take place between multiple armed factions with different political objectives and fractured lines of command.

Peacekeepers have, as a consequence, sometimes found themselves in situations where ceasefire agreements are ignored, where consent to the United Nations presence is called into question, and where government and State institutions have ceased to function or have broken down. Actions by irregular forces and militias that ignore or wilfully violate humanitarian norms and constantly shifting lines of confrontation have complicated the peacekeeper's task.

The evolution of United Nations peacekeeping in response to these changing needs has meant that a growing number of peacekeeping missions now fit into a new category characterized by complex operations composed of military, civilian police and other civilian personnel. With a mandate to help create political institutions and broaden their base, the United Nations works alongside governments, non-governmental organizations and local citizens' groups to provide emergency relief, demobilize former fighters and reintegrate them into society, clear mines, organize and conduct elections and promote sustainable development practices.

To help build confidence in this vital technique, Secretary-General Kofi Annan has endeavoured to lay secure and adequate foundations for an effective peacekeeping practice and supporting structures. Among other efforts, he convened a Panel on United Nations peacekeeping operations in March 2000. The Panel’s recommendations focused on politics and strategy as well as operational and organizational areas. Many of the recommendations related to matters fully within the purview of the Secretary-General, while others required approval by Member States.

The report sparked an intensive dialogue within the General Assembly and the Security Council on the future of United Nations peacekeeping. Member States ultimately responded positively to the majority of the report’s recommendations, including the need to strengthen the capacity to support peace operations with adequate personnel and financial resources.

The Department of Peacekeeping Operations

United Nations peacekeeping operations are planned, prepared and managed at the Headquarters level by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which was set up in 1992. The Department provides political and executive direction to operations in the field. It maintains contact with the Security Council, troop and financial contributors and parties to the conflict.

The Department strives to provide the best and most cost-efficient administrative and logistical support through the timely deployment of quality equipment and services, adequate financial resources and well-trained personnel. In so doing, it works to integrate the efforts of United Nations, governmental and non-governmental entities in the context of peacekeeping operations. It also provides guidance and support on military, police, mine action, and logistical and administrative issues to other United Nations political and peace-building missions.

In view of the dynamic nature of peacekeeping, the Department continually seeks to enhance its capacity to manage peace operations. Under the guidance of the Secretary-General and with the strong endorsement of Member States, the Department has made steady progress in streamlining processes and procedures; improving mission planning and start-up techniques; and increasing support capacity while enhancing management techniques.

For more information on the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations please visit our website.