South Korea hosted a 6-week U.N. peacekeeping training program for 90+ personnel from >15 countries, including Australia and Japan, focusing on military engineering, medical care, and explosives handling.
South Korea condemns attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers in Lebanon after a Serbian member's death, urging compliance with international law
A UN peacekeeper from Serbia died from wounds sustained when shelling hit his base near Marjayoun, Lebanon. Two other peacekeepers were injured. UNIFIL is investigating the attack, which follows several fatal incidents since the outbreak of the Iran war and renewed clashes between Hezbollah and Israel.
Lebanon and Israel provisionally agreed to a ceasefire in Washington, but Hezbollah rejected the terms, demanding Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory first. A UN peacekeeper was killed in an attack attributed to Hezbollah.
Lebanon and Israel provisionally agreed to a ceasefire in Washington, but Hezbollah rejected the terms, demanding Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory first. A UN peacekeeper was killed near Marjayoun, with mortars suspected to be from Hezbollah.
Hezbollah has officially rejected a ceasefire deal provisionally agreed upon by Lebanon and Israel, calling it "absurd, humiliating and insulting." The group demands Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon before any ceasefire, while Israel insists on a demilitarized zone and continued attacks.
CSTO Secretary General Taalatbek Masadykov stated that the organization's collective forces are prepared for peacekeeping operations globally, with training centers in Belarus, Russia, and Kazakhstan enhancing their capabilities.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has stressed the necessity of maintaining a UN military presence in Lebanon beyond the current UNIFIL mandate, which ends in late 2026. He proposed three options for troop levels, ranging from 2,000 to over 5,500, to monitor the Blue Line and support the Lebanese Armed Forces.
UNIFIL's 48-year peacekeeping mandate in Lebanon concludes Dec 31, 2026, as Israel advances deeper into Lebanese territory. Criticized by both Israel and Hezbollah, the UN force's effectiveness is questioned amid escalating conflict and violations of a 2024 ceasefire.
Egyptian and Somali foreign ministers met in Seoul to discuss maritime security, the release of kidnapped sailors, funding for the African Union peacekeeping mission in Mogadishu, and Somalia's territorial integrity amidst regional tensions.
Global peacekeeping operations have seen a sharp decline, reaching their lowest point since 2000, with a 49% drop from 2016 levels. A SIPRI report highlights geopolitical divisions and funding pressures, particularly affecting UN missions, as key drivers, warning of increased conflict and a weakened UN.
UN peacekeeping missions have fallen to a 25-year low in 2025 due to funding gaps and geopolitical blockades, according to a SIPRI report. The number of personnel has dropped by 49% in a decade, raising concerns about multilateral conflict resolution and the UN's role.
UN peacekeeping missions have reached their lowest point in at least 25 years, with troop numbers falling to 78,633 by the end of 2025, a 49% decrease from a decade ago. Researchers cite financial, political, and geopolitical blockades as major factors, warning of a weakened multilateral conflict resolution and increased civilian impact from conflicts.
China was the second-largest financial contributor to UN peacekeeping missions in 2025, after the US, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The report noted a substantial rise in China's share as geopolitical tensions increasingly paralyzed multilateral peace operations.
SIPRI warns that geopolitical tensions and funding shortfalls are weakening international peacekeeping, particularly UN missions. Active personnel are at a 25-year low, with significant budget gaps and complex Security Council decisions hindering operations.
UN peacekeeping missions have reached a 25-year low in 2025 due to a $2 billion funding gap and political factors, notably US policy under Donald Trump. Experts warn this decline weakens multilateral conflict resolution and could lead to more severe conflicts.
SIPRI reports UN peacekeeping missions are at a 25-year low in personnel due to funding shortfalls and geopolitical deadlock, risking weakened multilateral conflict management and increased civilian impact from conflicts.
SIPRI warns that geopolitical tensions and funding shortages are jeopardizing UN peacekeeping missions. The number of deployed international staff fell to under 79,000 in 2025, the lowest in 25 years, with 58 operations active, below 60 for the first time since 2016.
SIPRI reports that geopolitical tensions and a funding crisis are jeopardizing UN peacekeeping missions. The number of deployed international staff fell to under 79,000 in 2025, the lowest in 25 years, with 58 operations active, down from previous years.
The United Nations said it is working on options to maintain a presence in Lebanon after the UNIFIL peacekeeping mandate expires December 31. UN Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix said the Security Council must receive recommendations before June 1. The force of nearly 8,200 troops from 47 countries has lost five troops in recent days—two French and three Indonesian nationals. Lebanon was drawn into the war when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A 10-day ceasefire has been in effect since Friday.
