Paradigm Shift in UN Peacekeeping in the Post Cold War Era

Abstract

UN has carried out 67 peacekeeping operations since 1948. Surprisingly, 54 of them have taken place since 1988. As international relations are dominated by Great Powers to analyse their attitudes through peacekeeping after 1990, it can be clearly seen how realpolitik still shapes the political world. Peacekeeping was adopted during the Cold War as a substitute for collective security and in response to the stalemate between the Permanent Members of the Security Council. In practice, UN peace operations have developed as ad hoc responses to particular crises. Therefore the key concepts of traditional peacekeeping (consent, impartiality, minimum use of force) are often interpreted differently in different missions, broadening the way in which the international community understands what a threat to international peace is. Andersson (2000) asserts that the increasing number of peacekeeping operations after 1990 was due to a change from realpolitik to idealpolitik. UN Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali reflected in his document Agenda for Peace the same universalist and communitarian approach; and has declared the commitment to the primacy of values over interests in the international community. The egoistic passions and self-interests of Great Powers who are the permanent members of Security Council have motivated the increasing number of UN peacekeeping operations after 1990. The proposed paper will try to explore such a paradigm shift in the UN Peacekeeping operation.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n9p109