Demand-driven operations: a new approach to UN peacekeeping

The document identifies systemic failures in UN peace operations, including the proliferation of 'Christmas tree mandates' and an over-reliance on bureaucratic templates. It recommends streamlining mandates, strengthening partnerships with regional organisations like the African Union, and reforming budgeting to allow for greater operational flexibility. The authors emphasize the need for proactive transition planning to avoid the 'peacebuilding financing cliff' and urge member states to prioritize political solutions over securitised interventions.

• UN peace operations are currently hindered by rigid, bureaucratic models and a 'crisis of confidence' from both the UN Security Council and host populations, leading to mission drawdowns even in fragile contexts.
• The tendency to create 'Christmas tree mandates'—wide-ranging and complex sets of tasks—overburdens missions, dilutes their strategic focus, and often exceeds available resources.
• Prioritising securitised responses, such as peace enforcement and counter-terrorism, over political solutions has historically exacerbated grievances and prolonged violent conflicts.
• The UN's institutional structure creates a path dependency where the lead department dictates the mission's form, resulting in inflexible templates that struggle to adapt to ground requirements.
• There is significant untapped potential for collaboration between peace operations and UN country teams, as well as regional organisations like the African Union (AU), particularly through joint missions or support offices.
• Transition planning is often reactive rather than proactive, leaving missions vulnerable when host governments withdraw consent and creating a 'peacebuilding financing cliff' upon exit.
• Financial constraints are worsened by rigid budgeting, staffing tables, and late contribution payments from member states, which limit the ability of missions to respond to fluid conflict dynamics.

APA

Chen, E., Yohannes, D., Dessu, M. K., Liaga, E., & Belay, T. (2025). Demand-driven operations: a new approach to UN peacekeeping. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1739972519815-PB-194.pdf

Chicago

Chen, Eugene, Dawit Yohannes, Meressa K Dessu, Emmaculate Liaga, and Tsion Belay. Demand-driven operations: a new approach to UN peacekeeping. Institute for Security Studies, 2025. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1739972519815-PB-194.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chen |first1=Eugene |last2=Yohannes |first2=Dawit |last3=Dessu |first3=Meressa K |last4=Liaga |first4=Emmaculate |last5=Belay |first5=Tsion |title=Demand-driven operations: a new approach to UN peacekeeping |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=2025 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1739972519815-PB-194.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chen2025demanddriven, author = {Chen, Eugene and Yohannes, Dawit and Dessu, Meressa K and Liaga, Emmaculate and Belay, Tsion}, title = {{Demand-driven operations: a new approach to UN peacekeeping}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2025}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1739972519815-PB-194.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }