Peacekeeping staff down 40% in 10 years due to geopolitical tensions, funding cut

ISTANBUL

The number of personnel in multilateral peace operations has fallen by over 40% since 2015 due to rising geopolitical tensions and funding shortages, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said Monday.

As of Dec. 31, 2024, a total of 94,451 international staff were serving in 57 peace operations, down from 161,509 in 2015 and a 6% drop from 100,568 in 2023, according to new SIPRI data released ahead of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on May 29.

Despite the steep decline in staffing, the number of active missions remained relatively stable. SIPRI recorded 61 multilateral peace operations across 36 countries or territories in 2024, two fewer than in 2023.

Sub-Saharan Africa hosted the highest number of missions, with 21, followed by Europe with 19, the Middle East and North Africa with 14, the Americas with four, and Asia and Oceania with three.

“In recent years it has become much harder to agree on, deploy and sustain multilateral peace operations, both for the United Nations and for regional organizations like the African Union,” said Dr. Claudia Pfeifer Cruz, a senior SIPRI researcher. “This has real consequences for civilians on the ground.”