The United Nations has about 80,000 peacekeepers with an annual budget of about $7 billion. 75 percent of civil wars in which the United Nations has intervened have resumed after a decade of stagnations a researcher said. However, another researcher concluded that 85 percent of UN peacekeeping operations have been successful in achieving lasting peace or reducing the period of war. It has founded in 1945, the United Nations never intended to have its own combat force; therefore, it does not refer to peacekeeping operations in its agreement. It soon became apparent, however, that the presence of such forces was necessary if the organization hoped to accomplish its most basic objectives.
Peacekeepers’ work aims to protect citizens, train police forces, disarm militias, monitor human rights violations, organize elections, provide emergency relief, rebuild the judicial system, inspect prisons, and promote gender equality in areas of conflict. Peacekeepers will travel to countries after a ceasefire is declared between the parties, at the invitation of the host government and with the consent of all warring parties, provided that all permanent members of the Security Council agree and no member opposes the idea. After the US military, the UN peacekeeping force is the second largest military force deployed abroad, with more than 78,000 UN troops and 25,000 civilians in 14 countries.
To bring peace to countries suffering from conflict, the goal should not be to eliminate peacekeeping operations, but to develop them. Peace building does not require billions of dollars in aid or major international intervention. It often involves empowering ordinary citizens, yet the United Nations currently considers peace building efforts as a secondary attempt. The UN should establish specialized offices or departments for peace building, preparing them with experts in basic conflict analysis and resolution. These new employees must provide guidance and train their colleagues. They must leadership and control should be with the locals and foreigners should be left behind. Instead of imposing one idea or defending a particular idea as vigorously as possible, peacekeepers must propose multiple options, explain the pros and cons of each, and provide financial, logistical, military, and technical support to implement any plan agreed upon by local stakeholders. Currently, it is foreign peacekeepers and diplomats, not ordinary citizens, who choose between democracy and peace, or peace and justice. It is best for those who have to live with the consequences of any decision to make it themselves. For example, where the focus on elections may be at the expense of addressing other influential sources of conflict (such as poverty), then the UN should recognize their most preferred option. If there is really a demand for elections, they can be held quickly, but if more people care about solving other problems, the UN must put democracy aside and devote its scarce resources to solving the root causes of war.
