Explained | What is the U.N. Peacekeeping mission?

India has been among the largest troop-contributing countries to the U.N. peacekeeping missions.

The story so far: A top United Nations (U.N.) official has lauded the Blue Helmet peacekeepers from India as well as other countries for thwarting an attack by an armed group in the Congo. Responding to a question by news agency PTI, U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix said that the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) armed group has been active in the last couple of weeks in an area in eastern DR Congo.

India has been among the largest troop-contributing countries to the U.N. peacekeeping missions. As of November 2021, India is the second-highest military (1,888) and fifth-highest (139) police-contributing country to the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

The U.N. Peacekeeping mission is a joint effort between the Department of Peace Operations and the Department of Operational Support, and aims to assist host countries to transition from situations of conflict to peace.

The U.N. began its Peacekeeping efforts in 1948 when it deployed military observers to West Asia. The Peacekeeping mission’s role was to monitor the Armistice Agreement between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

U.N. Peacekeepers provide security as well as political and peacebuilding support to conflict-ridden countries.

The three basic principles that guide U.N.’s Peacekeeping missions are:

Blue Helmets are the military personnel of the U.N. that work alongside the U.N. Police and civilian colleagues to promote “stability, security, and peace processes”. The personnel get the name from the iconic blue helmets or berets they wear.