Reform of Peacekeeping Operations

Currently there are 16 peacekeeping operations running all over the world. All these operations are led by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO for short). The purpose of these operations is to “create conditions for lasting peace.[1]  Moreover, this is not the only part of peacekeeping operations. Over the last years it has also become more and more important to rehabilitate these states to democratic systems.

 

Within these peacekeeping operations there are three main principles. The first one is that all the main parties involved in the conflict must agree to the operation. This is a key element if you want to resolve conflict and create peace.
The second main principle is the Impartiality. It means that the party or parties carrying out the operation need to be neutral. This impartiality must remain unchanged at every step of the operation to keep the operation running, otherwise one of the parties might stop cooperating.
The third significant principle is that force (mainly weapons) should be used only for self-defense or to keep the operation running.

 

In 2000, the UN started some reforms on their peacekeeping operations. In one of his speeches the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “The world is changing and UN peace operations must change with it if they are to remain an indispensable and effective tool in promoting international peace and security.”[2]
The UN then started analyzing their recent missions and the results were then published in the Brahimi report and it calls for three main changes.3

 

 
First of all, it calls for the member states to enter new political commitments.
The second point calls for a serious change to the UN institution.
The report also asks for more financial support since the peacekeeping operations have gotten more complex in the last couple of years. In order to perform the operations in the same effective way, a lot more money needs to be invested.

 



[1]www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/operations

[2]www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/operations/rform.shtml

 

 

Florian Riepe und Tobias Rütten