UK’s contribution to UN peacekeeping operations

Approximate read time: 10 minutes

UN peacekeeping operations began in 1948 when the UN security council (UNSC) authorised the deployment of military observers to the Middle East to monitor the armistice agreements between Israel and its neighbouring countries.^[1] Originally tasked with supervising peace agreements and monitoring ceasefires, UN peacekeepers’ mandates have expanded to include a wider range of activities, such as protecting civilians, promoting human rights and supporting elections.

Since 1948, the UN has deployed 71 peacekeeping operations. There are currently 11 operations taking place globally.^[2]

1. UK approach to UN peacekeeping

The UK participates in UN peacekeeping through its permanent membership of the UNSC, providing financial support and deploying personnel to peacekeeping operations.

1.1 Permanent membership of the UN security council

The UK is one of five permanent members of the UNSC (alongside China, France, Russia and the United States).^[3] Under the UN charter, the UNSC has primary responsibility for the “maintenance of international peace and security”.^[4] Therefore, it has the authority to deploy peacekeeping operations by formally adopting resolutions, which also detail the mandate and size of the operation. It considers a range of factors before doing so, such as existing ceasefires, commitments to peace processes, and the safety of peacekeepers.

1.2 Financial contributions

UN peacekeeping operations are funded through mandatory contributions from all member states.^[5] The UN general assembly determines how much each member state contributes through a scale of assessments, which considers a member state’s economy and population. For the period 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2024, the UK is the fifth-highest provider (behind the US, China, Japan and Germany) of assessed contributions to the UN peacekeeping budget (contributing 5.36% of the total).^[6]

1.3 Troop deployment

The UK contributes personnel to various UN peacekeeping operations globally.^[7] Since 2019, this has included operations in Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Somalia and South Sudan. Table 1 details the total number of UK personnel who have contributed to these missions from 2019 to 2023.

Table 1. Total number of UK personnel contributing to UN peacekeeping operations in each year since 2019

(House of Commons, ‘Written question: United Nations: Peacekeeping operations (7277)’, 12 January 2024)

The figures include personnel directly assigned to UN missions. However, it does not include UK troops that trained partner forces before deployment to peacekeeping operations.

2. Participation in current peacekeeping operations

As of 31 August 2024, the UK had 259 personnel supporting four UN peacekeeping operations in Cyprus, the DRC, Lebanon and South Sudan.^[8]

2.1 Cyprus

Established in 1964, the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is one of the UN’s longest-running peacekeeping operations.^[9] UNFICYP was created to prevent further fighting between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities. Since a de facto ceasefire in 1974, UNFICYP has operated along the ceasefire lines spanning over 180km across the island, provided humanitarian assistance and maintained a buffer zone between the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot forces in the north and the Greek Cypriot forces in the south. UNFICYP reports that without a formal ceasefire, the force’s 800-plus troops and 60-plus police officers “deal with hundreds of incidents each year”.

In addition to being deployed to two sovereign base areas on the island, British soldiers serve with the UNFICYP.^[10] However, there is no operational link between British soldiers serving in the sovereign base areas and the peacekeeping operation. British soldiers serving on the UNFICYP are responsible for maintaining the buffer zone. As of 31 August 2024, there were 251 British personnel in the UNFICYP. This included 240 members of the military and 11 staffing officers.^[11]

2.2 Democratic Republic of the Congo

Established in 2010, the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) is tasked with using “all necessary means” to carry out its mandate of protecting civilians, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders “under imminent threat of physical violence”.^[12] It is also tasked with supporting the Congolese government in its “stabilisation and peace consolidation efforts”. It replaced an earlier UN peacekeeping operation, the UN Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

As of 31 August 2024, there were 11,974 personnel in the peacekeeping force. This included 11,524 uniformed personnel, such as military and police. There were three British staff officers in the force.^[13]

2.3 South Sudan

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was established in 2011 to support the country after its independence.^[14] Its focus is on monitoring and investigating abuses and violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, protecting civilians, assisting with the delivery of humanitarian assistance and supporting peacebuilding efforts in the country.

There are over 15,000 personnel in UNMISS, including military, police and civilian staff. As of 31 August 2024, four British staff officers were working on the mission.^[15]

2.4 Lebanon

The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is a peacekeeping operation that was established in 1978 to oversee Israel’s withdrawal from the country and to assist the Lebanese government in ensuring the return of its authority in the area.^[16] Since then, UNIFIL’s mandate has expanded to monitor Lebanon’s border with Israel, support the Lebanese armed forces and to provide humanitarian assistance.

In August 2024, UNIFIL deployed 9,387 troops and 213 staff officers in Lebanon. The UK had one staff officer assisting UNIFIL.^[17]

3. Recent government comment

3.1 UN summit participation and speech by Keir Starmer in September 2024

From 22 to 23 September 2024, the UN hosted a summit of world leaders that aimed to accelerate efforts to meet existing international commitments and respond to emerging challenges.^[18] The summit resulted in world leaders adopting a ‘pact for the future’. The pact outlined a commitment to adapt peace operations to “better respond to existing challenges and new realities”.^[19] This included the following measures:

• calling on the UN security council to ensure that peace operations are “guided by political strategies, deployed with clear, sequenced and prioritised mandates that are realistic and achievable, exit strategies and viable transition plans, and as part of a comprehensive approach to sustaining peace in full compliance with international law and the charter”
• requesting that the UN secretary general undertake a review of the future of all forms of peacekeeping operations
• taking “concrete steps” to ensure the safety and security of personnel on peace operations and improve their access to health facilities, including mental health

On 26 September 2024, the prime minister, Keir Starmer, addressed the UN general assembly.^[20] He expressed concern that “the institutions of peace are struggling—underfunded, under pressure and over politicised”. He also emphasised the significance of the new pact, advocating for “new energy and creativity” in conflict resolution and prevention, making the institutions of peace “fit for purpose”, and holding member states “to their commitments under the UN charter”.

3.2 Statements relating to peacekeepers in Lebanon in October 2024

On 14 October 2024, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the UK condemned “recent attacks by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on UNIFIL bases”, which had left several peacekeepers injured.^[21] They called for an immediate end to attacks on UNIFIL staff and urged all parties to “uphold their obligations to ensure the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel at all times and to allow UNIFIL to continue carrying out its mandate”.

The government subsequently spoke about the situation in Gaza and Lebanon in the House of Commons on 15 October 2015.^[22] The minister for development, Annaliese Dodds, expressed concern that the IDF had injured UN peacekeepers.^[23] Also speaking on the issue, the chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, Emily Thornberry, called for increased UK support for UNIFIL, including providing more personnel to the operation. The minister said the UK “fully supports” the work of UNIFIL but did not commit to additional personnel.

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Cover image: UK MOD © Crown copyright