UN Peacekeeping Operations Receive Boost from Global Pledges

Strategic Insights -

US President Barack Obama has announced that over 50 countries have pledged tens of thousands of new personnel to bolster the UN's overstretched and under-equipped peacekeeping operations. The pledges include a permanent 8,000-strong quick deployment force from China, 250 to 300 troops from Britain, and equipment and funding from several other countries. The commitments come as the UN struggles to keep pace with growing demand for peacekeepers in hotspot countries such as Mali and South Sudan.

Key Takeaways:

  • More than 50 countries have pledged tens of thousands of new personnel to bolster the UN's peacekeeping operations.
  • China has committed to establishing a permanent 8,000-strong quick deployment force and has offered $100m to fund a similar scheme under the African Union.
  • Britain has committed 250 to 300 troops to the UN mission in South Sudan.
  • The UN has 193 member states that supply people and equipment to protect civilians and keep the peace in 16 operations spread across 11 million square kilometers of terrain.
  • The number of deployed military and police has more than tripled from 34,000 to 106,000 since 2000.
  • The peacekeeping price tag has swollen to $8.3 billion this year, four times the cost of the rest of the UN Secretariat combined.
  • The US will work to double the number of US military officers serving as peacekeepers and offer logistical support and air-lifts and sea-lifts.
  • The composition of peacekeeping has changed, with the top five contributors now being Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Pakistan, and Rwanda.

Statistics:

  • The UN has 193 member states that supply people and equipment to protect civilians and keep the peace.
  • The number of deployed military and police has more than tripled from 34,000 to 106,000 since 2000.
  • The peacekeeping price tag has swollen to $8.3 billion this year.
  • The US has 82 uniformed personnel deployed in UN missions this year.
  • China has pledged $100m to fund a scheme under the African Union.

Sources:

  • US President Barack Obama's statement at the UN General Assembly in New York.
  • China's President Xi Jinping's announcement at the UN General Assembly.
  • Al Jazeera interview with Richard Gowan, a fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations think-tank.
  • UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's statement at the UN General Assembly.
  • June review of UN peacekeeping operations.