The United Nations contribute to international peace and security by setting up peacekeeping operations. These operations are implemented by the Security Council under the command of the Secretary-General. Decisions on funding for peacekeeping operations are taken by the General Assemby.

Characteristics of a peacekeeping operation

Every peacekeeping operation is unique, but

• all peacekeeping operations are set up only with the consent of the parties to the conflict
• the parties are consulted about the countries which will contribute troops to the operation
• the operation must not interfere in the internal affairs of the host countries and must not favour any party against another
• the peacekeepers have no right of enforcement and the use of force is limited to self-defence as a last resort
• no operation can be established without a broad consensus within the international community. The Security Council gives the mandate of the operation
• the military personnel who serve in peacekeeping operations are provided by Member States on a voluntary basis
• all operations pass under the command of the Secretary-General
• all operations are set up to assist in controlling and solving international conflicts, or, to a greater extent, internal conflict with an international dimension.

How does a peacekeeping operation start?

Most operations are established and implemented by the Security Council - the UN organ with primary responsibility for peace and international security. The Council determines

1. the size of the operation
2. the aim
3. the time frames.

The troops serve under UN operational command, but the peacekeepers remain members of their respective armed forces as the United Nations does not have an army. Under the present structure, it can take considerable time for the actual forces to be authorized and reach their destination.

The Council may also authorize regional organizations to undertake peacekeeping tasks when it is not appropriate for the United Nations to be directly involved.

Current Peacekeeping Operations by United Nations

Past UN Peacekeeping operations

More on UN Peacekeeping

• United Nations Peacekeeping lists all peacekeeping operations. Information about current and past operations, contributors of military and civilian police personnel, maps and full text documentation.
• Women, peace and security. UN Peacekeeping and gender issues.

Official Records

• Security Council resolutions. Decisions about peacekeeping operations, their mandate, size etc are contained in the Security Council resolutions.
• Meeting records. The Security Council debates the political aspects of peacekeeping operations. The action of the Council can be traced through the meeting records.
• The Secretary-General submits reports on peacekeeping missions to the Security Council. It is an excellent source of information about the peacekeeping operations and contains analyses and recommendations of the Secretary-General and his team of experts, with recommendations for further actions.
• Presidential Statements are written statements made by the President of the Security Council noting that the Council has been discussing a specific topic. A less informal expression of the standpoint of the Council compared to the resolutions. In these statements the President may express concern over a situation and call upon the parties involved in a conflict to work for a peaceful solution and respect the negotiated agreements.
• In the Exchange of letters between the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council you can find information about the composition of a peacekeeping operation and the appointment of a Chief of Mission. The letters are issued when the Council has already reviewed the matter.
• Press statements. When a Chief of a Mission has been appointed, a short biography is often posted through a press release.
• Reports of the Security Council Missions. The Security Council authorizes fact-finding missions to conflict areas, in order to investigate the situations and evaluate UN activities. In their reports they also make recommendations for further actions. Reports of the missions are issued as mission reports.

Historical surveys

Historical surveys will be found in several compilations and handbooks:

• Yearbook of the United Nations. Part one. Political and security questions. International Peace and Security. An annual overview of the activities of the UN peacekeeping activities, composition of the missions, references to reports and essential documentation.
• The blue helmets : a review of United Nations peace-keeping containing the main facts of 41 United Nations peace-keeping operations from 1948 through early 1996.
• Soldiers for peace. : fifty years of United Nations peacekeeping. Thirteen essays about the United Nations peacekeeping operations during 50 years.
• UN peacekeeping : 50 years, 1948-1998. A short introduction to and survey of the peacekeeping operations.
• United Nations peacekeeping, 1946-1967 : documents and commentary. Vol. I: The Middle East; vol. II: Asia; vol. III: Africa; vol. IV: Europe, 1946-1979. A detailed account of UN peacekeeping operations. Contains essential full text documents, references and biographical information.
• The Peace Archives by Folke Bernadotte Academy, The Swedish Peace Archives collect, digitize and make documentation available about Swedish participation in international peace support operations over the years.

United Nations Peacekeeping Forces was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 1988.