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At the mention of UN peacekeeping, many things come to mind. It could be the conflict that necessitates the mission or the failure of the peacekeepers.

That’s because these global forces have made headlines in recent times for various scandals. But there’s more to peacekeeping than what the media shows.

Today is the International Day of the United Nations Peacekeepers. This article sheds light on some lesser-known realities about peacekeeping missions.

Origin of the Peacekeeping Mission

The origin of UN peacekeeping missions coincides with the establishment of the UN. This was right after the widespread destruction and loss of life resulting from WWII in 1945.

The concept of peacekeeping was born out of the need to prevent the reoccurrence of large-scale conflicts. Its primary aim was to maintain international peace and security. To achieve this, they deploy multinational forces to conflicted areas.

The first peacekeeping mission was to observe the ceasefire agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbors in 1948.

Also Read: 9 Means to Achieve World Peace Amid Diversity

Unpopular Facts About the UN Peacekeeping Mission

Over time, peace missions have evolved to respond to complex conflicts and broader mandates. As a result, it faces several challenges in enforcing its duty. 

Costly Operations

Peace missions are expensive, and this has made them a subject of debate for years. Let’s see the exact cost implications.

The budget for the 2023–2024 peacekeeping year is $6.1 billion. For more comparison, global military spending in 2023 was at a record high of $2.4 trillion. And it was this high because of current conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war.

But why is peacekeeping so expensive, especially since it is often non-combatant? There are several reasons for this.

Deploying troops and other staff from their home countries and maintaining them is expensive. Also peacekeeping involves training, troop allowances, logistics, and other resources.

Moreso, some peacekeeping missions can last years, leading to more financial commitments.

Also Read: The Aftermath of the Holocaust and the German Cost

Unequal Burdens

Although the cost of missions is shared among all member states, a few countries pay the bulk. The largest contributors are the United States, China, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom.

It might seem that the financial burden is disproportionate, but human resources are important. Troop-contributing nations equally matter because they provide the troops.

The highest-contributing nations include Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Pakistan, Indonesia, Ghana, and China.

Limited Military Capacity

The UN peacekeeping mission has no permanent force, unlike traditional militaries. In the same way, they rely on member states for funds, they do the same for forces. As a result, they often have insufficient troops. 

Although some countries generously provide some of their force members, others do not. That’s because they may be unable or reluctant to do so due to domestic priorities or other limitations.

Peacekeeper Misconduct

Instances of misconduct by peacekeepers are quite common. Cases of sexual exploitation and abuse have been reported on many missions, like in DR Congo and Haiti.

Stress has been identified as a contributing factor to misconduct and poor decision-making. But a lack of accountability is mostly responsible for it.

It could be because the chains of command are often complex owing to the diversity of the forces. This makes it difficult to hold an erring troop accountable. Some countries may likewise be reluctant to investigate their troops.

Furthermore, locals see the forces as more powerful, making them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.

Logistical Challenges

Similar to the lack of a dedicated military force, the mission has no logistics infrastructure of its own.

They rely on contributions for equipment and other resources. This can result in challenges in the coordination and integration of varying equipment. As a result, leading to delays in deployments and operations maintenance.

Moreso, peacekeepers often operate in harsh terrain and remote areas. This makes it difficult to ensure proper communication, maintain equipment, and transport supplies. 

This is in addition to disruptions to supply chains due to the volatile nature of their environment. That’s because logistical convoys sometimes get attacked or fall in the line of fire.

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Conflicting Priorities among Member States

The peacekeeping mission needs the cooperation of its member countries to carry out its mandate. However, issues can arise due to conflicting priorities among member states.

It’s common for countries to have a political agenda that doesn’t align with the mission objectives. And so it’s not unusual for security member states to use their veto power to suit their agenda.

These conflicting priorities hinder decisive action and result in a lack of proper coordination.

Salute to the Blue Helmet

The peacekeepers carry out their duty amid complexities and a variety of challenges. Despite their publicized failures, they have been successful in two-thirds of all their missions.

They have saved millions of lives and remain a vital tool for promoting peace and security around the world.