The Future of UN Peace Operations, Part 1 – Peace Operations at an Inflection Point

In this episode, UNU-CPR’s Head of Geneva Office Dr. Adam Day joins Dr. Jack Durrell to discuss the future of UN peace operations at a moment of financial strain, geopolitical fragmentation and declining confidence in peacekeeping effectiveness. The conversation explores how a worsening liquidity crisis is already driving cuts to missions on the ground, and what this means for civilian protection and operational capacity. It also examines how states are increasingly turning to bilateral and alternative arrangements outside the UN system. Looking ahead, Dr. Day reflects on whether current reforms such as UN80 represent genuine strategic change or primarily an effort to manage financial contraction, and considers what emerging “lighter” and more bespoke models of peace operations could mean for the UN’s role in conflict settings. The episode also highlights key missions to watch, including the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the absence of a robust UN presence in Sudan.