Legitimacy: peacekeeping's fatal flaw?
Peacekeeping has become increasingly ambitious in recent years—larger operations, taking on more challenging tasks. But this has brought with it a range of problems. Among these, it has made peacekeeping increasingly vulnerable to questions about the legitimacy, not just of individual missions but of the ways in which peacekeeping is planned and carried out.
From scandals over peacekeepers’ misconduct, to legal challenges to some missions’ right to operate, to accusations that missions endangered civilians by failing to carry out their mandated tasks, 2008 offered many examples of questioned and questionable legitimacy. Unless the UN and other organizations mounting missions give more attention to ensuring legitimacy, the ability of peace missions to help bring about sustainable peace may be seriously compromised.
Is peacekeeping heading into crisis—and if so, what can be done? Are unacceptable trade-offs being made in order to get missions on the ground and up to strength? Is the UN’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards sexual misconduct making a difference?
In the Yearbook
Chapter 3. The legitimacy of peace operations
Appendix 3A. Multilateral peace operations 2008
SIPRI experts
Sharon Wiharta, Researcher, Armed Conflict and Conflict Management Programme
Dr Ekaterina Stepanova, Senior Fellow and Programme Leader, Armed Conflict and Conflict Management Programme
Kirsten Soder, Researcher, Armed Conflict and Conflict Management Programme
Lakhdar Brahimi, SIPRI Board Member and former United Nations special representative for Afghanistan and Iraq
Dr Nabil Elaraby, SIPRI Board Member and former member of United Nations International Law Commission
