Peace is needed NOW more than ever.

 

As the UN system has continued to evolve and adapt through different time periods, so have the organization's peace and security engagements, as exemplified in its peace operations. The UN is now bracing for another transformation to fit the emerging realities of a new international system. Challenges to UN peace operations remain during the most recent historical phase of the post-Cold War period, in terms of inadequate funding, a lack of standardized training approaches for peacekeepers and overly ambitious mandates. At the same time, new issues and challenges abound, including designing mandates that address the drivers of violent conflict while also accommodating competing normative perspectives among member states and between the UN and host states. While the UN may be impeded by geopolitical divisions, this policy paper entitled ''Rethinking UN peace and security engagements in a changing world'' shows that opportunities can still be found for rethinking the organization's role in maintaining international peace and security. The impetus for a more radical reimagining of the UN's role requires not only the endorsement of a majority of the UN member states but also a greater sense of humility and willingness to adapt. Overall, the focus must be on establishing dialogue step by step, starting with issues that allow for trust to be built and that ultimately benefit the people the UN is mandated to serve.