"When I’m no longer around to settle wars, the U.N. can” “It has tremendous potential. Tremendous.” 😂

Following Timo Smit arguing in favour of more strong and strategic EU Civilian CSDP crisis management, ahead of Ville Savoranta's upcoming paper on closure and transition of EU civilian CSDP missions, Aino Esser's paper maps the questions to be addressed to strengthen impact and strategic relevance.

Board of Peace’: a club a popular kid in school made up, where membership is granted at their whim… and candy is non-negotiable. The Charter speaks of 'peace-building mission[s]', indicating personnel deployments, on a voluntary, ad hoc, and occasional basis. Peace operations?

In the wake of the pandemic, development aid has entered a new era. As democratic backsliding and tighter government restrictions spread, #civilsociety faces new challenges. This #SIPRI paper by @jvdlijn.bsky.social explores how actors can navigate restrictive environments. More: bit.ly/49pZ5Sb

In places where governments restrict civic and political space, what: 👉are challenges CSOs face? 👉are CSO coping strategies? 👉do CSOs ask from international and funding partners? Are you working in the field and able to share experiences? Many thanks to Cordaid, Just Future and Netherlands MFA.

This #SIPRI map highlights all multilateral #PeaceOperations active as of 1 May 2025 plus a number of missions and operations authorized and/or conducted by the #UN and regional organizations around the world. Explore the map ➡️ bit.ly/4pzapC5

The Security Council should not ask MONUSCO to do more with less. If it does, the Secretary-General should tell the Council what it needs to hear, not what it likes to hear: i.e. 'no can do.'

Last week @sipri.org org and @fesonline.bsky.social organized a scenarios workshop on the future of the Korean peninsula. Now already two participants wrote up their thoughts. Ken Jimbo (bit.ly/3LIELTT) & @johndelury.bsky.social (bit.ly/49eMdA3) Honoured to work with a group of great minds!

Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the WPS agenda, @sipri.org published its annual overview of women in multilateral PeaceOps (EU, OSCE and UN). How are organizations, missions and states performing on the aim of gender balance? The answers are here: bit.ly/47at2WJ

What will be the impact of reduced funding for multilateral conflict management and increasing disregard of norms on global peace and security? It will be messy! The research will continue, also to provide input to the UN Peace Operations Review. @UNPeacekeeping @UNDPPA

As conflict management in 10 years is likely more bilateral and ad hoc, the question is: how to manage this diversity of actors? Earlier this month, participants at a @sipri.org and @fesonline.bsky.social workshop, explored the future of conflict management in Africa: bit.ly/3KfZRsf.

And Putin agrees to having EU troops in Ukraine? JAQ: www.reuters.com/world/europe...

International cooperation means you scratch each other's back and do not always try to get your way. The US pushed through the closure of the UN mission in Lebanon, UNIFIL. Will it now get support for a more lethal ‘Gang-Suppression Force’ for Haiti www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/u...

Great continuation of our @sipri.org and @fesonline conversations on the topic in Dakar!!! While the need for conflict management is increasing, consensus, funds, willingness and interests at the multilateral level are lacking. Is the future deinstititionalized, fragmented, and more militarised?

This SIPRI map highlights all multilateral #PeaceOperations active as of 1 May 2025 plus a number of missions and operations authorized and/or conducted by the United Nations and regional organizations around the world. Explore the map ➡️ bit.ly/4mvArFuNew

Nearly all of the nine nuclear-armed states—🇺🇸🇷🇺🇬🇧🇫🇷🇨🇳🇮🇳🇵🇰🇰🇵🇮🇱—continued intensive nuclear modernization programmes in 2024, upgrading existing weapons and adding newer versions. Read the press release🔗 bit.ly/45TEl57 #SIPRIYearbook #NuclearWeapons #ArmsControl #NuclearRisk #Disarmament #NonProliferation

🇺🇸🇷🇺 Russia and the USA together possess around 90% of all nuclear weapons. Both continue extensive modernization programmes. Find out more 🔗 bit.ly/45TEl57 #SIPRIYearbook #NuclearWeapons #ArmsControl #NuclearRisk #Disarmament #NonProliferation

📢 Nuclear risks grow as new arms race looms—new SIPRI Yearbook out now. Read the press release 🔗 bit.ly/45TEl57 #SIPRIYearbook #NuclearWeapons #ArmsControl #NuclearRisk #Disarmament #NonProliferation

Main contributors of police personnel to UN and non-UN Multilateral Peace Operations: 🇸🇳Senegal 1215 🇷🇼Rwanda 1097 🇰🇪Kenya 473 🇪🇬Egypt 397 🇨🇲Cameroon 363 🇬🇭Ghana 356 🇲🇷Mauritania 326 🇩🇯Djibouti 238 🇳🇵Nepal 228 🇳🇬Nigeria 228 @sipri.org Fact Sheet➡️ bit.ly/3HhIZzQ

Main contributors of military personnel to UN and non-UN Multilateral Peace Operations: 🇳🇵Nepal 5908 🇧🇩Bangladesh 5482 🇮🇳India 5211 🇷🇼Rwanda 4779 🇺🇬Uganda 4655 🇪🇹Ethiopia 3715 🇿🇦South Africa 3706 🇧🇮Burundi 2971 🇰🇪Kenya 2642 🇵🇰Pakistan 2598 @sipri.org Fact Sheet➡️ bit.ly/3HhIZzQ

Current trends in multilateral peace operations include geopolitical rivalries and uncertain regionalization. Looking ahead expect more: 1️⃣Multilateral inaction; and 2️⃣Deinstitutionalization/fragmentation, and 3️⃣Militarization/securitization of efforts that do take place. ➡️ doi.org/10.55163/VVWF7280

In a world where conflict seems to be on the rise, tools of conflict management seem to be in decline. Explore our map ➡️ bit.ly/4mvArFu, and @sipri.org data on multilateral #PeaceOps ➡️ bit.ly/3SolkzX Proud of Claudia Pfeifer Cruz for putting the facts together! bsky.app/profile/sipr...

New @sipri.org data on multilateral #peaceoperations out now! Don't worry! It is only 6% less personnel, and 2 operations fewer than last year!

Out of all multilateral peace operations international personnel: 👉69% were deployed in UN-led operations 👉74% were hosted in Sub-Saharan Africa See the new @sipri.org data out now: Press release➡️ bit.ly/3SolkzX Map➡️ bit.ly/4mvArFu Fact sheet➡️ doi.org/10.55163/VVW...

The 61 Multilateral Peace Operations active in 2024 were located in: 👉Sub-Saharan Africa (21), 👉Europe (19), 👉Middle East and North Africa (14), 👉Americas (4) 👉Asia and Oceania (3) Operations are particularly an African affair in personnel numbers, less in mission numbers. SIPRI data out now!

The Berlin Peacekeeping Ministerial discussed partnerships, modular approaches and pledges. Our FES-SIPRI side event "The Future of Conflict Management and Peace Operations" discussed what to do if partners are disfunctional and many of the modules are insufficiently invested in.

Really interesting discussions on the future of peacekeeping and peacebuilding on the eve of the 2025 Berlin Peacekeeping Ministerial. How to keep what we have afloat? peaceoperations.net @zif.bsky.social

It was great having so many knowledgeable and fun people together to think about the future of conflict management.

Is there are role for UN peacekeeping in Ukraine? My latest for the Stimson Center.

The five largest arms exporters in 2020–24 were: 🇺🇸 USA, 🇫🇷 France, 🇷🇺 Russia, 🇨🇳 China, and 🇩🇪 Germany. Read SIPRI’s press release: bit.ly/3FblDe8 #ArmsTrade

Arms imports in Europe grew by 155%, while imports shrank in Africa and Asia. Despite high regional variation, the total volume of international arms transfers in 2020–24 remained at much the same level as in 2015–19. Find out more: doi.org/10.55163/XXS...

I guess next year arms imports in Europe will increase even further?

The five largest arms importers in 2020–24 were 🇺🇦 Ukraine, 🇮🇳 India, 🇶🇦 Qatar, 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia, and 🇵🇰 Pakistan. Read the new SIPRI fact sheet on international arms transfers: doi.org/10.55163/XXS...

New SIPRI data on global #ArmsTransfers out now: Ukraine the world’s biggest arms importer; United States’ dominance of global arms exports grows as Russian exports continue to fall. Press release ⬇️ www.sipri.org/media/press-...

In November, the US electorate decided to break up with Europe. So, why the disappointment, shock and surprise each time again when Europe's ex doesn't call, doesn't want to hold hands, doesn't join on a date, or even finds a new partner?

Our @munsecconf.bsky.social session "Bypassing Geopolitical Blockages: How to Regionalize Crisis Management?" noted that in absence of political will, capacity and funds, the future may be inaction, fragmentation, deinstitutionalization, and ad hoc, bilateral or PMC military intervention.

UN security council resolution 2719 was already a solution to the problems of a decade ago (10 years too late), but now the US is about to kill the partnership altogether. x.com/SenateForeig...

SIPRI's Director of the SIPRI Peace Operations and Conflict Management Programme, @jvdlijn.bsky.social, was interviewed by Newzroom Afrika, sharing insights on #MONUSCO and managing the transition. Watch the interview here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wuJ...

Interesting convo about the situation in Goma, DRC, and MONUSCO. Newzroom Afrika: www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wuJ...

There is limited research on the overlap between #gender expertise and #communications in #PeaceOps and #CrisisManagement missions. This paper explores gender-responsive strategic communications in the context of 🇪🇺 #EU civilian CSDP missions ➡️ doi.org/10.55163/LQL...

While there is a lot of talk about a "crisis of peacekeeping" @fortid1.bsky.social and I argue @crisisgroup.org that the debate about the future of UN peace ops is starting to get a little more positive and constructive. www.crisisgroup.org/global/fresh...

Wondering about the future of UN peacekeeping? Listen to this @nupinytt.bsky.social The World Stage Podcast by Marie Furhovden with David Haeri of @unpeacekeeper.bsky.social Tor Henrik Andersen of @norwaymfa.bsky.social & me from #NUPI & @effectivepeaceops.bsky.social 🎤 www.nupi.no/en/news/the-...

Trump may not be as hostile towards the organization as he seems in public, Stéphanie Fillion writes.

Denmark is on the UN Security Council - remember? And peacekeeping is in crisis. Read Corine van Emmerik’s and my policy brief on future-proofing peacekeeping and what Denmark - with the help of others - should do to ensure that happens🇺🇳🪖: shorturl.at/zfGgs

#FactFriday ➡️ Women remain underrepresented in peace operations leadership. Find out more: doi.org/10.55163/VYH... Accurate, dependable information matters more than ever. Invest in the facts. Support #SIPRI: bit.ly/4gI9QkX

EU chief diplomat explains why peacekeeping mission to Ukraine is currently impossible “First, there has to be peace.” www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...

As the idea of peacekeeping in Ukraine is back in the news, here is what @crisisgroup.org had to say on the topic in 2022. www.crisisgroup.org/europe-centr...

Just some questions: Would that be a UN, OSCE, ad hoc coalition EU, NATO peacekeeping mission (in order of Russian preference)? Why would Russia accept? Why would it work this time, because the OSCE wasn't that successful last time? www.politico.eu/article/seni...

This #SIPRI policy brief by Gretchen Baldwin explores the opportunities and challenges of gender-responsive strategic communications in the context of European Union civilian Common Security and Defence Policy missions. Explore the paper here ➡️ doi.org/10.55163/LQL...

Last week @timosmit.bsky.social presented his paper Towards a More Strategic Civilian CSDP: Strengthening EU Civilian Crisis Management in a New Era of Geopolitics and Risk (bit.ly/41mPkSj) at @diplo.de in Berlin. Thanks @topietz.bsky.social for the pics!