A severe funding shortfall is threatening to cripple UN peacekeeping operations worldwide, with the Organization warning that it will have to scale back patrols, close field offices and repatriate thousands of ‘blue helmets’ due to delayed payments from Member States.
The crisis, which UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix described as “more daunting than ever,” follows the partial non-payment of assessed contributions – the mandatory dues Member States pay to finance UN operations in some of the world’s most volatile regions – operating at a level well below the approved 2025-26 budget.
He echoed those warnings this week in an address to defence officials and diplomats at a peacekeeping conference in New Delhi, saying: “Unfortunately, we have no other option.”
“Our peacekeepers, your peacekeepers, protect people – they make the difference between life and death for hundreds of thousands of civilians,” he said.
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Massive cuts in the field
The UN Secretary-General has directed all missions to identify reductions in expenditures equal to 15 per cent of their annual budgets, a move that will translate into a roughly 25 per cent reduction in uniformed and civilian personnel because of the compressed timeframe.
These reductions will affect every major area of peacekeeping work – from patrols and protection duties, to logistics, air operations and civilian support functions.
The Department of Peace Operations (DPO) has warned that fewer peacekeepers in the field will mean fewer patrols to monitor ceasefires, fewer safe zones for civilians and less support for humanitarian relief in places like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Lebanon and the Golan Heights.
Appeal for solidarity
Mr. Lacroix urged all Member States to pay their contributions “in full and on time” and called for collective advocacy to counter what he described as “campaigns that spread mis and disinformation about peacekeeping operations.”
“We need your understanding and support, but we also need to work together to redress this situation,” he said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his own remarks to troop and police contributing countries last week, echoed that appeal, emphasizing the importance of peacekeeping missions.
But without predictable, adequate and timely financing, peacekeeping cannot deliver on its Security Council mandates.
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Budget under strain
The General Assembly in July approved a $5.38 billion peacekeeping budget for 2025-26 – slightly down from $5.6 billion the previous year – covering the missions and global support centres in Entebbe, Uganda, and Brindisi, Italy.
However, the budget’s implementation depends on actual contributions received.
Peacekeeping accounts for less than half of one per cent of global military spending, estimated at $2.4 trillion in 2023, yet it remains one of the UN’s most crucial and visible tools for maintaining international peace and security.
“Some people ask why the peacekeeping missions are still needed,” Colin Stewart, the former head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) told UN News shortly before retiring from the Organization.
“The answer is simple – it’s peaceful because the missions have been doing their job. Without it, the mistrust between the sides could easily spiral into confrontation.”
A pivotal juncture
Since 1948, more than two million blue helmets from Member States worked in some of the most hostile environments across the world, helping implement ceasefires and making space for political dialogue and peace processes to take hold. More than 4,400 peacekeepers have lost their lives in the quest for lasting peace.
As the UN marks its 80th anniversary, Mr. Lacroix said the Organization is at “a pivotal juncture” and must adapt peace operations to new global realities.
“The challenges ahead are real,” he cautioned, “but so is our capacity to meet them – if we stay united in purpose, pragmatic in action and unwavering in our commitment to peace.“