UN Peacekeeping
Expected Council Action
In September, the Security Council will hold a debate on peacekeeping reform pursuant to resolution 2378 of 20 September 2017. Secretary-General António Guterres is the anticipated briefer. France, the September Security Council President, intends to highlight the youth, peace and security (YPS) agenda at this meeting.
Key Recent Developments
At the Summit of the Future in September 2024, member states adopted the Pact for the Future which, among other things, requested the Secretary-General to conduct a review on the future of all forms of UN peace operations “taking into account lessons learned from previous and ongoing reform processes, and provide strategic and action-oriented recommendations for the consideration of member states on how the United Nations toolbox can be adapted to meet evolving needs, to allow for more agile, tailored responses to existing, emerging and future challenges”.
The Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) jointly conducted the peace operations review which built on A New Agenda for Peace—the Secretary-General’s July 2023 report providing his vision for the future of multilateral engagement on peace and security issues—and the comprehensive studies that the two departments carried out on the future of peacekeeping operations and Special Political Missions (SPMs), respectively. DPO commissioned an independent study on: The Future of Peacekeeping, New Models, and Related Capabilities, which was published in October 2024 and was intended to inform the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial held in Berlin in May 2025. DPPA worked on a comprehensive compendium of the history and evolution of SPMs that was published in June.
On 20 August, the Secretary-General’s report on the review on the future of all forms of peace operations was submitted to both the Security Council and the General Assembly. The report outlines the spectrum of peace operations and advocates for resetting peace operations for a new geopolitical era, including a sharper focus on peacemaking, stronger partnership with host states, and more focused mandates. It also emphasises the importance of a networked approach that continues to capitalise on the UN’s comparative advantages, while also leveraging partnerships with regional organisations, troop and police contributing countries, and others. The report offers a series of recommendations and commitments on how to adapt UN peace operations and ensure they remain fit for purpose in a changing geopolitical landscape. On 26 August, the Secretary-General briefed the General Assembly on his report and recommendations. This was followed by a Security Council briefing that the peacekeeping duo—Denmark and Pakistan, supported by Latvia—convened on 27 August in which Lacroix and Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo briefed, highlighting the relevant aspects of the report and its recommendations on peacekeeping and SPMs, respectively.
On 23 June, the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2823 which focuses on ensuring accountability for crimes against peacekeepers. The resolution, co-authored by Denmark and Pakistan, garnered the support of 153 co-sponsors from the wider UN membership. Among other things, the resolution requests the Secretary-General to submit to the Security Council an annual report on the status of the investigation and prosecution of cases related to the killing of and all acts of violence against UN personnel serving in peacekeeping operations. The first report, due within 120 days of the adoption of the resolution, is expected to include a range of options for the Council’s consideration on ways and means of addressing crimes against peacekeepers and strengthening accountability for such acts.
In April, DPO launched an updated implementation framework for the Action for Peacekeeping Plus (A4P+), an implementation strategy released in March 2021 to accelerate peacekeeping reform through the Secretary-General’s A4P initiative. It seems that the implementation framework took into consideration the evolving security and operating environment, resource constraints, as well as the progress and challenges faced in implementing A4P. In this regard, it outlines a strategic, focused, and streamlined set of priorities to ensure that UN peacekeeping operations remain effective, cost-efficient, and responsive.
Key Issues and Options
A key issue for Council members in September is how to reform and adapt peacekeeping operations to meet current and future challenges. In this regard, Council members could focus on the recommendations contained in the Secretary-General’s report on the comprehensive review of all forms of UN peace operations which are expected to be considered by both the Security Council and the General Assembly. A possible option would be to work on a draft presidential statement in response to the report and the relevant aspects of the recommendations to the Security Council.
The updated implementation framework for A4P+ is another issue that could be of interest to Council members. Lacroix may take advantage of the September meeting to provide a briefing on the framework and update Council members on the implementation of A4P+ across different mission settings. So far, DPO has released eight progress reports, with the last publicly available report issued in March.
Another issue is the implementation of resolution 2823. The peacekeeping duo are likely to keep sustained attention to its implementation in the remainder of their terms. A possible option would be for them to convene a Council meeting following the submission of the 120 days report expected in October.
The mandate renewal of several missions over the coming months will also be a major issue. In particular, Council members will consider the Secretary-General’s report on the feasibility of an eventual handover of tasks from the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) to the host country authorities or the UN country team which is expected in September. This is likely to inform upcoming negotiations on MINUSCA’s mandate renewal in November 2026, which may pave the way for the beginning of the mission’s drawdown.
In October, Council members will consider the findings of a strategic review to determine the future of the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). In November, Council members will also negotiate the mandate renewal of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Both the renewal and the mission’s future will depend on progress by both Sudan and South Sudan in implementing a set of benchmarks outlined by the Security Council in resolution 2802 of 14 November 2025.
The UN’s liquidity crisis and the continued efforts to ensure cost-efficiency and effectiveness across the organisation, including within peace operations, remains an ongoing issue. Council members held two closed consultations, one in November 2025 and another in April, to receive updates on the implementation of contingency measures across peacekeeping missions to address this challenge. They may want DPO to keep them abreast of the latest developments in this regard, including constraints to their operational effectiveness in implementing their mandated tasks.
Council and Wider Dynamics
The peacekeeping duo are working together to draw attention to peacekeeping issues within the Council, including by convening meetings and proposing Council products. They are likely to continue do so in collaboration with other like-minded members by focusing on the outcome of the review and the implementation of resolution 2823.
Last year, the Council renewed the mandates of four UN peacekeeping operations non-unanimously. This year, so far, the mandate of two UN peacekeeping missions was adopted non-unanimously, an indication that the trend observed in 2025 may continue, with Council members expected to hold critical discussions on the mandate of several other missions over the coming months as discussed above. While some members, particularly the US, are expected to advocate for the potential draw down and eventual closure of some missions, others may push back underscoring the implications of such decisions for peace and security in host countries.
The General Assembly approved a $5.1 billion peacekeeping budget for the 2026/2027 fiscal year, which showed a ten percent reduction from last year. The US, which has accumulated significant arrears in its contributions to the UN peacekeeping budget, has been strongly pushing to reduce the cost of UN peacekeeping operations. In this context, over the past year and half, it has been calling for strategic reviews, assessments, and benchmarks to determine the future of peacekeeping missions and evaluate their performance. Following the adoption of the 2026/2027 peacekeeping budget, the US vowed to continue maximising efficiencies and identifying additional opportunities to reduce unnecessary expenditures.
| Security Council Resolution | |
| 23 June 2026S/RES/2823 | This was a resolution on accountability for crimes against peacekeepers. |
| Secretary-General’s Report | |
| 31 August 2026S/2026/600 | This was the Secretary-General’s review on the future of all forms of UN peace operations. |
