How Peacekeepers Succeed: Investigating the Dynamics of UN Peacekeeping Missions

Abstract

By sending peacekeeping and observer missions to the world’s troubled spots over the past seventy years, the United Nations (UN) has devoted its attention and resources to promoting living standards and human rights throughout the world. Despite this, the peacekeeping missions often fail to establish peace in a turbulent region. What dynamics play into the strategy of the peacekeepers? How can a peacekeeping effort use its limited resources to increase its chances of success? This study evaluates 56 completed peacekeeping missions and highlights the most important factors that contribute to their outcome. The analysis has two phases. Firstly, it will separate each peacekeeping operation into successful and failed sections. This is conducted by assessing each case’s achievements based on three criteria: implementation of mandate, establishment of order, and procurement of long-lasting peace. The second phase of the study proposes five hypotheses that will bring to light the most important factors that contribute to the outcome of the mission. Those factors are not based on the actions of the peacekeepers, but rather on the conditions they were given to succeed. The findings are important to anyone who must understand what aspects drive the peacekeeping operation toward eventual success or failure. The results can also simplify past peacekeeping dilemmas and can be applied to improve the dynamics of on-going and future missions.