The United Nations and Global Peacekeeping: Effectiveness in a Changing World

Abstract

United Nations peacekeeping, once a cornerstone of post-World War II collective security, faces an existential crisis amid escalating conflict complexity and declining multilateral cooperation. This study evaluates the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations from 2000 to 2025, employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates quantitative data from the UN Peacekeeping Data Portal with in-depth case studies of MINUSMA, MONUSCO, UNIFIL, and MINUSCA, alongside document analysis of Security Council resolutions and reform reports. Findings confirm that robust mandates continue to reduce conflict recurrence by 75 85% and civilian targeting by up to 75%, while extending negative peace duration significantly. However, post-2022 mission closures, an 8.2% real-term budget cut to US$5.6 billion, and a 40% decline in uniformed personnel reveal systemic contraction. Case studies highlight host-consent failures in Mali and persistent violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, contrasted by relative stabilization in Lebanon and partial civilian protection in South Sudan. Thematic analysis identifies great-power veto paralysis, the rise of parallel forces (Wagner/Africa Corps, African Union missions), and technological gaps as primary impediments. The study extends Bellamy’s “peacekeeping in crisis” thesis by demonstrating that waning multilateralism now constitutes the decisive variable undermining long-term peacebuilding. Implications call for renewed political will among member states, enhanced training and equipment for troop contributors, and strengthened consent mechanisms with host nations. Despite data gaps in withdrawn missions and rapidly evolving geopolitics, the evidence underscores that UN peacekeeping retains unique legitimacy but requires urgent doctrinal, financial, and partnership reforms to remain viable in a fragmented global order.

Keywords: UN Peacekeeping, Effectiveness, Multilateralism, Host-State Consent, Great-Power Rivalry, Civilian Protection, Robust Mandates, MINUSMA Withdrawal