UN Peacekeeping Missions in Crisis Due to Geopolitical Tensions and Funding Shortages

Central News Agency, Stockholm, May 25. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) warned today that geopolitical tensions and a funding crisis are endangering peacekeeping operations, particularly those led by the United Nations. According to an AFP report, a SIPRI report indicates that by the end of 2025, active personnel in international peacekeeping operations had fallen below 79,000, the lowest level in at least 25 years. Jair van der Lijn, director of the SIPRI Peacekeeping and Conflict Management Program, stated: "If this continues, the combined effects of funding, political, and geopolitical factors will drastically weaken the functionality of international multilateral conflict management, and institutions like the UN could become nearly marginalized." Van der Lijn said, "The result is likely to be frequent conflicts around the world. Once countries abandon long-standing norms, these conflicts will cause more severe harm to civilians." Statistics show that a total of 58 peacekeeping operations were conducted in 2025, the first time the number has fallen below 60 since 2016. Currently, nearly three-quarters of peacekeeping personnel are deployed in five countries: the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Lebanon. As major donor countries fail to fully meet their commitments, UN peacekeeping operations are mired in a funding crisis. According to SIPRI estimates, of the 5.6 billion USD pledged for the 2024-2025 budget, 2 billion USD has not yet been provided. The institute noted: "In the UN Security Council, the tough demands of permanent members and the threat of vetoes make decisions on extending peacekeeping mandates more complex." SIPRI explained that despite repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, the US had demanded the dissolution of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Fortunately, the Security Council later adopted a compromise and voted to extend the peacekeeping mission in Lebanon until December 2026. SIPRI researcher Claudia Pfeifer Cruz stated: "To maintain effective multilateral conflict management, countries must not only express support for peacekeeping missions but also provide stable and reliable funding and build sufficient political space."