United Nations Peacekeeping

Abstract

The UN undertakes impartial peacekeeping operations (deploying either peacekeeping forces or observer missions), with the consent of the principal parties involved, and without prejudice to their positions or claims, in order to maintain international peace and security and to facilitate the search for political settlements through peaceful means. Each peacekeeping operation is established with a specific mandate, which requires periodic review by the UN Security Council. Peacekeeping forces—composed of contingents of military personnel, experts and other civilian staff, made available by member states—assist in preventing the recurrence of fighting, restoring and maintaining peace, and promoting a return to normal conditions. The UN’s peacekeeping forces and observer missions are financed, in most cases, by assessed contributions from member states. In 2022 the Department was also directly supporting the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, a political and peacebuilding mission that was established in March 2002.