Peacekeeping for the 21st century: A new partnership

Abstract

The shift in armed conflict from inter-state to predominantly intra-state conflicts has seen a growing progression of sophistication in the type of United Nations peacekeeping operation that has been mounted to address these now prevailing conflicts. Concomitant with this change has come an increasing inability of peacekeepers to cope with the complexity of the mandates upon which each new peacekeeping mission is based. This has resulted in failures of various proportions for United Nations peacekeeping missions. A new model of peacekeeping that can significantly contribute globally to a culture of peace is now required. This thesis presents a model, based on a civilian-military partnership. This partnership is conceptualized to reaffirm the United Nations as the world's foremost peacekeeping agent by endorsing the essential role of the military, but also by affmning the central value of civilian commitment to foster the activism of indigenous communities in the recovery process.