The United Nations faces a necessity to decrease its peacekeeping forces globally by approximately 25 percent due to financial constraints, primarily stemming from reductions in US assistance, according to a senior UN official’s statement on Wednesday.
An estimated 13,000 to 14,000 military and police personnel, along with their equipment, will need to be withdrawn, as noted by the official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Additionally, a significant number of civilian staff within missions will also experience impacts.
Initially, the United States was set to contribute $1.3 billion to the total $5.4 billion budget allocated for peacekeeping operations in 2025-2026. However, the US has now indicated that it will only provide around half of that amount, approximately $682 million, which includes $85 million designated for a new international anti-gang mission in Haiti, not factored into the original budget.
China is anticipated to contribute $1.2 billion to the peacekeeping budget, which faced $2 billion in outstanding dues as of July. Consequently, the UN foresees a shortfall of 16 to 17 percent in the current peacekeeping budget.
President Donald Trump has consistently asserted that international organizations have exploited the United States and has directed substantial reductions in US foreign aid since resuming office in January.
The official expressed concerns about the repercussions on activities such as monitoring ceasefires, safeguarding civilians, collaborating with humanitarian efforts, and other peacekeeping tasks.
The reduction in troop levels by 25 percent will impact nine out of the 11 peacekeeping missions, each of which had already devised contingency plans to address potential budget reductions, according to the official.
The UN maintains peacekeepers across various regions, including the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, southern Lebanon, Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.
Louis Charbonneau of Human Rights Watch remarked that the announcement could potentially lead to a substantial decline in safeguarding activities like humanitarian convoys and the vulnerable populations reliant on aid. He emphasized the importance of the UN prioritizing life-saving humanitarian and human rights operations.
Richard Gowan from the International Crisis Group highlighted that the consequences of the cuts on the ground will vary depending on the specific circumstances in each case. He pointed out that in regions like South Sudan, where peacekeepers provide vital protection to many civilians amidst ongoing conflict threats, scaling back on peacekeeping forces could send a negative signal.