Economics of UN peacekeeping operations

Abstract

Since the end of the Cold War, the number of UN peacekeeping operations deployed and their expenditures have significantly increased. Out of an estimated total amount of $44.81 billion spent on 61 UN peacekeeping operations, approximately $41.02 billion, or almost 92%, went to financing 50 missions between 1990 and 2006. There are two main reasons for this significant increase in spending: one is that international security is now threatened with multiple conflicts arising within nations; the second is the significant increase in UN responsibilities in international security. With the end of the Cold War, international strains have been replaced with civil unrest. Intrastate conflicts that were contained until then freely emerged in many developing countries, particularly in Africa. These sorts of conflicts can quickly spread to neighboring countries and seriously affect international security if no measure is taken for their resolution.

Citation

Sheehan, N. (2008), "Economics of UN peacekeeping operations", Fontanel, J. and Chatterji, M. (Ed.) War, Peace and Security (Contributions to Conflict Management, Peace Economics and Development, Vol. 6), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 173-188. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1572-8323(08)06011-6