STANDING BETWEEN WAR & PEACE

The Trump administration recently unveiled a controversial proposal to stop all US support for UN's peacekeeping operations—a drastic step that could profoundly undermine global stability.

- E D MATHEW

The memo, leaked to the media, proposes sweeping cuts to the US state department budget and a complete withdrawal of American financial support, currently with $1.2 billion in dues, from the UN's peacekeeping budget.

While the proposal still requires congressional approval, the implications are stark. Since its formal inception in 1948, UN peacekeeping missions have become one of the most vital and cost-effective tools to manage conflicts and promote stability around the world. It is not only about deploying soldiers to conflict zones; it represents a multi-dimensional approach to peacebuilding that addresses the political, economic and social dimensions of post-conflict recovery.

These operations are designed to support peace agreements, maintain ceasefires, disarm combatants and protect vulnerable populations. Over the past several decades, this model has proven particularly effective in countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire, all of which suffered from devastating civil wars in the early 2000s.

Over 68,000 personnel are currently deployed across 11 UN peace operations. Most peacekeepers come from developing countries like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Rwanda and Nigeria. Wealthier nations, especially the US, provide the bulk of funding. The US alone contributes 27 percent of the $5.6 billion annual peacekeeping budget—an investment that has historically garnered bipartisan support in Washington.