Engaging with Political Elites and Non-State Armed Groups

Abstract

The role of multidimensional United Nations (UN) peace operations has evolved significantly over the last two decades. Today, these operations are tasked not only to keep the peace but also to address the causes of conflict. The struggle for control of the political economy is often a primary driver and perpetuator of conflict. Consequently, UN peace operations have become increasingly involved in the political economy of the states where they are deployed. In that context, they must engage and contend with the political elites and armed groups that seek to dominate the political economy, sometimes with the connivance of external actors, including neighbouring states. This chapter, written from the perspective of a former UN mission leader, looks at the complexities that UN peace operations face as they attempt to deal with these challenges, and the questionable legitimacy of their interlocutors. It reviews the effectiveness and limitations of the approaches and tools that UN missions employ to tackle the predatory behaviour of political elites and armed groups. The chapter concludes with some suggestions on how UN peace operations can be better structured and staffed to successfully anticipate and respond to the challenges that the political economy poses to peace.