Where inadequate political structures fail to provide for the orderly transfer of power, where dissatisfied and vulnerable populations are manipulated and when competition for scarce resources intensifies the anger and frustration among people trapped in poverty, armed conflict will continue to flare. These elements provide fuel for violence within or between States, and countless numbers of weapons, readily available worldwide, provide the means. The results are human suffering, often on a massive scale, threats to wider international peace and security, and the destruction of the economic and social life of entire populations.

Many of today's conflicts may seem remote to those not immediately in the line of fire, but the nations of the world must weigh the risks of action against the proven dangers of inaction. Failure by the international community to try to control conflicts and resolve them peacefully may result in wider conflicts that can destabilize neighbouring countries and spread throughout entire regions. Few modern conflicts can be considered truly "local". They often generate a host of problems such as the illegal traffic in arms, drugs or people; terrorism; refugee flows; and damage to the environment; the repercussions of which are felt far from the immediate conflict zone.

UN peacekeeping, built on almost 60 years of experience in the field, is an indispensable tool in tackling these difficult issues. Its legitimacy and universality are unique, derived from its character as an action taken on behalf of a global organization comprising 192 Member States.