Project
Peace Operations Reform
Bridging policy innovation and field research to improve the effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping
About the Project
Building on decades of expertise, the Peace Operations Reform project identifies policy changes to improve the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping and recommends solutions. Stimson has a long history of bridging policy and practice, prioritizing field work to better understand the reality on the ground and then bringing those lessons to policymakers to overcome challenges and maximize mission impact.
Over the last two decades, Stimson research and experts have had a significant influence on UN policy, from the first-ever comprehensive review of UN peacekeeping operations to significant changes in the policy and practice of civilian protection. Stimson’s recent work focuses on host-state government consent for peacekeeping missions, local conflict management by UN peacekeepers, measurement and evaluation, UN intelligence and forward-looking analysis, and the prioritization and sequencing of UN actions in the field.
Research & Writing
Issue Brief
Examining how UN Special Envoys of the Secretary-General can advance the protection of civilians in conflict settings.
April 23, 2026
Commentary
Countries are reluctant to provide troops for a Gaza security force – but bringing in UN expertise could allay their fears.
December 16, 2025
Policy Memo
Recommendations on protection for the upcoming Secretary-General’s Review on the Future of All Forms of UN Peace Operations.
December 8, 2025
Report
The UN Verification Mission in Colombia demonstrates that peace operations contribute in diverse ways to protecting civilians.
October 21, 2025
Commentary
Exploring options for continued U.S. engagement in Haiti.
September 5, 2025
Policy Memo
Examining how UN peace operations can be planned and deployed to protect civilians in current and emerging situations of concern.
August 7, 2025
Field Note
June 16, 2025
Commentary
As Europe mobilizes a coalition to backstop Ukraine’s security, consideration should also be given to deploying a UN peacekeeping mission.
March 7, 2025
Project Note
Reflecting on twenty-five years of protection of civilians and adapting for the future of peace operations
January 31, 2025
Project Note
Examining the evolving strategic and operational challenges facing peace operations in the protection of civilians.
January 27, 2025
Project Note
Reflecting on the Security Council’s engagement with prioritizing, sequencing, and streamlining mandates over the years and moving forward
December 5, 2024
Project Note
Examining the evolving strategic and operational challenges facing peace operations in the protection of civilians.
November 22, 2024
Report
The experience of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan underscores the importance that peace operations adopt a clear and strategic approach to the protection of civilians.
October 9, 2024
Project Note
Evaluating the current and future role of African Union peace operations in Somalia.
October 7, 2024
Commentary
Building on the Summit of the Future to center protection of civilians as part of future of peace operation.
September 20, 2024
Project Note
Examining challenges and lessons learned from the decade-long deployment of the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali
July 31, 2024
Project Note
Reflecting on the Security Council’s engagement with prioritizing, sequencing, and streamlining mandates over the years and moving forward
June 27, 2024
Field Note
Assessing the Protection of Civilians in Peace Operations Over the Last 25 Years and Into the Future
In early June, the program team traveled to Nairobi, Kenya to co-host the first of three dialogues on the operational realities of and challenges to the protection of civilians in the context of peace operations.
June 26, 2024
Report
Peacekeeping missions need to adapt to an evolving threat environment both from and within the air domain
April 17, 2024
Project Note
Assessing developments in South Sudan to inform the March 2024 mandate renewal of the UN peacekeeping mission.
March 1, 2024
Project Note
Evaluating the mandate and strategic orientation of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to inform the mission’s December 2023 mandate renewal and forthcoming drawdown.
December 11, 2023
Project Note
Assessing the political strategy for the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic ahead of the November 2023 mandate renewal
November 6, 2023
Report
Blue Helmet peacekeeping missions face ongoing challenges to host-country consent, amidst geopolitical shifts and anti-UN sentiment.
September 25, 2023
Project Note
Examining opportunities for the expedited transition of the peacekeeping mission and longer-term reconfiguration of the UN in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
July 18, 2023
Op-Ed
MINUSMA has lessons for the future of UN peacekeeping when it comes to the protection of civilians
July 14, 2023
Project Note
Examining UN Security Council trends and practices in the mandating of UN peace operations
June 20, 2023
Project Note
Evaluating the mandate and political strategy for the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali ahead of the late June 2023 mandate renewal
June 15, 2023
Commentary
The democratization of airpower in Ukraine and other recent conflicts demonstrates growing threats and new opportunities for UN peacekeeping
May 15, 2023
Project Note
Evaluating the mandate and political strategy for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) ahead of the March 2023 mandate renewal.
March 8, 2023
Commentary
A more comprehensive, strategic, and forward-looking approach to the air domain could mitigate and respond to threats against peacekeepers.
February 24, 2023
Project Note
Evaluating the mandate and political strategy for the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan ahead of the March 2023 mandate renewal.
February 24, 2023
Issue Brief
Evaluating the mandate and political strategy for the UN peacekeeping mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo ahead of the December 2022 mandate renewal.
December 13, 2022
Report
November 4, 2022
Project Note
While consent is a core principle of peacekeeping, how it is understood and maintained over the life span of a mission differs widely across contexts.
September 8, 2022
Report
Reflecting on the UN’s strategic role as an international partner in Libya and identifying the UN’s comparative advantages and limitations with its current mandate.
July 5, 2022
Report
Evaluating the mandate and political strategy for the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali ahead of the June 2022 mandate renewal.
May 20, 2022
Report
Evaluating the mandate and political strategy for the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan ahead of the March 2022 mandate renewal.
March 1, 2022
Report
Evaluating the mandate and political strategy for the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, amidst the mission’s phased and progressive transition.
December 13, 2021
Report
November 5, 2021
Project Note
Evaluating the mandate and political strategy ofthe United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).
June 23, 2021
Report
Evaluating the mandate and political strategy of the United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), ahead of its first mandate renewal.
May 26, 2021
Op-Ed
Originally published in The Hill
March 28, 2021
Report
March 18, 2021
Policy Memo
Being “back” in the world and leading with diplomacy means bolstering support and reforms of UN peace operations to achieve American goals.
March 4, 2021
Issue Brief
December 10, 2020
Report
Discussing the mandate and political strategy of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA).
November 19, 2020
Report
This report examines how prioritization and sequencing can be advanced in the field by peacekeeping missions themselves.
November 16, 2020
Recent Publications
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