A New Paradigm for International Peacekeeping

This article argues that the European Union’s Security and Defence Initiative in support of West African countries of the Gulf of Guinea (EUSDI) offers valuable insights for the future evolution of Peacekeeping operations deployed by both the United Nations (UN) and regional organisations. While UN peacekeeping has a strong record in reducing casualties and facilitating peace, it has faced significant challenges due to rising confrontations within the UN Security Council as well as the increasingly challenging mission environments. In this context, the EUSDI, established in December 2023 in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, and Benin, provides a unique operational model characterised by a small team, agility, targeted support, and cost-effectiveness, leveraging existing EU delegations for a short-term, scalable presence. The EU’s strategic focus on targeted technical support in the region, underscored by the EUSDI, exemplifies the efficacy of a modest yet competent operational presence in addressing pressing security challenges. This article presents that the EUSDI’s nimble, agile mission model, with tailor-made approaches, could offer compelling lessons for the UN’s ongoing efforts to redefine its peacekeeping approach in an increasingly complex global security landscape.