The end of the Cold War has diminished the seriousness of external threats to the United States but increased their number. Touted as a candidate for sheriff in a world without law, the United States accepts that it has obligations but is wary about taking on unlimited responsibility. Multilateral crisis management under some sort of international mandate is one attractive possibility. Operating under the mandate of an international organization, however, requires advance planning and engagement. Despite ongoing improvements the UN remains an imperfect instrument. Regional organizations are even less capable. This situation has fostered renewed interest in regionalism. Regional organizations have both advantages and disadvantages for this role.

Regional Organizations have played an increasing role of late in resolving intrastate conflicts. The UN, drawn into a plethora of peacekeeping operations in the 1990s, has relied increasingly on regional organizations and alliances to take the lead in conflict resolution, especially for peace enforcement. In view of this, the primary research question is: Has the increased role of regional organizations and alliances in recent UN mandated peace operations, such as East Timor, Sierra Leone, and Kosovo, defined the path for the future conduct of such operations? A follow on question is: Will it lead to a decline in UN preeminence in future peace operations? The thesis first describes the new ground rules in international affairs since the end of the Cold War. They have changed the way the UN undertook peacekeeping operations in the past decade with regional organizations. Second, it undertakes an analysis of the military component of three UN peace operations involving regional forces, in Sierra Leone, East Timor, and Kosovo. Finally, it derives conclusions from the analysis of these operations. While the degree of involvement of regional organizations in current peace operations is shaped by the nature of the conflict, the UN remains a key player and its role, as the primary arbiter of international peace and security does not seem under threat in the near future.

Regional Organizations have played an increasing role of late in resolving intrastate conflicts. The UN, drawn into a plethora of peacekeeping operations in the 1990s, has relied increasingly on regional organizations and alliances to take the lead in conflict resolution, especially for peace enforcement. In view of this, the primary research question is: Has the increased role of regional organizations and alliances in recent UN mandated peace operations, such as East Timor, Sierra Leone, and Kosovo, defined the path for the future conduct of such operations? A follow on question is: Will it lead to a decline in UN preeminence in future peace operations? The thesis first describes the new ground rules in international affairs since the end of the Cold War. They have changed the way the UN undertook peacekeeping operations in the past decade with regional organizations. Second, it undertakes an analysis of the military component of three UN peace operations involving regional forces, in Sierra Leone, East Timor, and Kosovo. Finally, it derives conclusions from the analysis of these operations. While the degree of involvement of regional organizations in current peace operations is shaped by the nature of the conflict, the UN remains a key player and its role, as the primary arbiter of international peace and security does not seem under threat in the near future.

The end of the Cold War has diminished the seriousness of external threats to the United States but increased their number. Touted as a candidate for sheriff in a world without law, the United States accepts that it has obligations but is wary about taking on unlimited responsibility. Multilateral crisis management under some sort of international mandate is one attractive possibility. Operating under the mandate of an international organization, however, requires advance planning and engagement. Despite ongoing improvements the UN remains an imperfect instrument. Regional organizations are even less capable. This situation has fostered renewed interest in regionalism. Regional organizations have both advantages and disadvantages for this role.

Trends in the number and scope of peace operations since 2000 evidence heightened international appreciation for their value in crisis-response and regional stabilization. Peace Operations: Trends, Progress, and Prospects addresses national and institutional capacities to undertake such operations, by going beyond what is available in previously published literature. Part one focuses on developments across regions and countries. It builds on data- gathering projects undertaken at Georgetown University's Center for Peace and Security Studies (CPASS), the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), and the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) that offer new information about national contributions to operations and about the organizations through which they make those contributions. The information provides the bases for arriving at unique insights about the characteristics of contributors and about the division of labor between the United Nations and other international entities. Part two looks to trends and prospects within regions and nations. Unlike other studies that focus only on regions with well-established track records—specifically Europe and Africa—this book also looks to the other major areas of the world and poses two questions concerning them: If little or nothing has been done institutionally in a region, why not? What should be expected? This groundbreaking volume will help policymakers and academics understand better the regional and national factors shaping the prospects for peace operations into the next decade.

“I have seen the UN perform on a changing global stage in many UN missions. This book examines how the UN must continue to evolve amongst changing state actors, differing regional organisations and a constant global paradigm shift. It is essential material for enhancing one’s understanding of the nature of international conflict and for the continued relevance of the UN as a key stakeholder and participant in world affairs.”—Maj. Gen. Kristin Lund, Head of Mission and Chief of Staff, UN peacekeeping mission in the Middle East (UNTSO) “This outstanding collection is a must-read for anyone interested in the central challenges of peacekeeping today. From big ideas about changes in global order, to more focused analyses of policing and the protection of civilians, this book provides a comprehensive overview of where peacekeeping is now, and what we may expect in the future.”—Lise Morjé Howard, Associate Professor, Georgetown University “The book analyses recent developments in UN peacekeeping in the context of the historic changes underway in the global order. I would recommend it to policy makers, peacekeepers and scholars who wish to understand, optimise and improve the effectiveness of modern peacekeeping.”—Lt. Gen. Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz, former Force Commander in the UN missions in the DRC (MONUSCO) and Haiti (MINUSTAH) “Peacekeeping has been the most visible UN activity in its primary mandate to maintain international peace and security. In a world in disarray, as security threats mutate and the world order shifts away from US primacy and fresh challenges arise, the UN must respond with nimbleness and flexibility to stay relevant. This exceptional collection of analyses by experts from both the global North and South will be of interest to practitioners and scholars alike – highly recommended.”—Ramesh Thakur, Professor, Australian National University “Peacekeeping is not what it was even a decade ago: global power is shifting, new types of conflicts are emerging, and demands on the United Nations and regional organizations are growing. Anyone interested in contemporary conflict resolution and the changing character of international peace operations should read this excellent book.”—Roland Paris, Professor of International Affairs, University of Ottawa “This book is an insightful and forward-looking scholarly contribution to debates within the United Nations. It shows how profound the recent changes affecting peace operations are and pushes us all to rethink our assumptions about conflict, peace and the role of international organizations. It could not come at a better moment.”—Jean-Marie Guehenno, UN High-level Advisory Board on Mediation, former UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations/div This open access book explores how UN peace operations are adapting to four transformational trends in the changing global order: (1) the rebalancing of relations between states of the global North and the global South; (2) the rise of regional organisations as providers of peace; (3) the rise of violent extremism and fundamentalist non-state actors; and (4) increasing demands from non-state actors for greater emphasis on human security. It identifies emerging conflict and peace trends (robustness of responses, rise of non-state threats, cross-state conflicts) and puts them in the context of tectonic shifts in the global order (rise of emerging powers, North–South rebalancing, emergence of regional organisations as providers of peace). The volume stimulates a discussion between practitioners and academics from the global North and South, and offers an analysis of how the international community collectively makes sense of the changing global order and its implications for UN peace operations. /div

Peacekeeping emerged in the post-Cold War period as the most prominent UN activity. This is largely because governments have come under increasing scrutiny & criticism for failure to adhere to a growing body of international standards. However, while world opinion is more willing to consider intervention in principle, it is also increasingly leery about mil. intervention in practice except in extreme cases. Chapters: the search for a new European architecture; commonwealth of independent states; Africa & the Americas; peacekeeping in Asia; & range of organizations available.