About UN Peacekeeping Forces

About UN Peacekeeping Forces

• The number of UN Peacekeeping Forces (UNPKF) fatalities from direct attacks is rising, according to the UN Undersecretary General.
• Strong recommendations for improved education, tools, and technology were made.

UN Peacekeeping Forces: What are they?

• The UN Peacekeeping Forces were founded in 1948 when the UN Security Council approved the sending of military observers to the Middle East.
• Nations are helped by UN peacekeeping personnel as they negotiate the risky change from conflict to peace.
• It sends out military, police, and civilian peacekeepers from all over the world to execute a number of missions authorised by the UN Security Council (UNSC) and the UN General Assembly.
• Every year on May 29, UN Peacekeepers International Day is observed.
• 2022 Theme: Peace, progress, and people. The Influence of Alliances.

UNPKF and India

• India is one of the countries that contributes the most personnel to the UN Peacekeeping Forces.
• India is the country that contributes the second-highest amount of military personnel and fifth-highest amount of police personnel to the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
• Since 1948, more than 2,60,000 Indians have participated in 49 U.N. peacekeeping deployments.
• India was the first nation to send an entirely female troop on a UN peacekeeping operation in 2007.
• 179 Indian soldiers have lost their lives in UN peacekeeping missions during the past 60 years.
• It has the highest death toll of any nation among "blue helmets."
• The Blue Helmets are UN military soldiers who support "stability, security, and peace processes" by collaborating with UN Police and civilians.

Reasons behind rising fatalities:

• From a political and security perspective, the environment in which peacekeeping operations are taking place is getting worse.
• Armed forces are involved in several operations, particularly huge operations like those in Africa, where the enemy is often a criminal or terrorist group that prefers unrest over peace and stability.

How can we prevent these fatalities?

• For peacekeeping missions to be successful, geographic balance and evenness must be preserved.
• Increasing the geographic diversity of the countries contributing police and peacekeeping personnel will need a lot of work.
• India has offered a 10-point plan to solve the security and operational issues that UN peacekeeping posts around the world are facing.
• The leadership of a peacekeeping force must foster trust and guarantee effective communication with the host state in order to achieve the mission's goals.
• The agenda must be decided by the participating nations, not by the Security Council.
• Peacekeeping operations should be conducted with a clear grasp of their constraints.
• Clearly stated goals that are backed by enough resources.
• There should be "all-out efforts" made to bring those accountable for crimes against peacekeepers to justice.
• It is crucial for putting a stop to bloody conflicts and building global security against outside threats.
• Modern technology can help resolve security difficulties in peacekeeping missions.
• When assessing a mission, the military, civilians, and mission leadership should all be taken into account.
• Peacekeeping deployments should be planned with a "exit strategy" in mind from the start.
• The host government shall have the primary responsibility for protecting its citizens from non-state groups operating on its territory.

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