Rethinking UN peace and security engagements in a changing world

Abstract World politics is changing. The post-Cold War unipolar system is being replaced by a multipolar world order that is characterized by increased geopolitical competition and contestation of the liberal international order. Authored by a combination of International Relations and peace scholars, policy-makers, and practitioners, this policy paper identifies four main processes through which this shifting context influences United Nations peace operations: A diversification of security and peace actors; A challenge to the authority of UN operations from domestic interlocutors; A weakening of the norm of political settlements; and A move in terms of objectives from conflict resolution to conflict management. The paper proposes four broad roles that the UN can bolster through its peace operations by building on its unique asset of universality, its wealth of capacities, and its unmatched ability to link global legitimacy with a concrete impact in conflict contexts: Providing good offices; Maintaining and promoting universal norms; Offering expertise for capacity-building; and Performing as the ‘conductor of the orchestra’ of different peace and security actors. The paper concludes that the UN's role remains unparalleled, but adaptations are required so that peace operations continue to benefit the people they are mandated to serve.