Global peacekeeping missions at 25-year low as funding, geopolitical tensions rise, SIPRI says

Global peacekeeping missions are in jeopardy as personnel numbers hit a 25-year low, according to a study released Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The study suggested that "geopolitical tensions, political pressure and funding crises are putting the viability of multilateral peacekeeping in jeopardy."

Personnel decline

The study found that the number of personnel deployed in peace operations fell to its lowest level since at least 2000 by the end of 2025, with 78,633 personnel deployed worldwide. The figure was also 49% lower than in 2016. Personnel deployments have been on a downward trajectory throughout the decade, with the sharpest annual decrease occurring in 2025 at 17%.

Warning

"If things continue in this way, we could see a dramatic weakening of multilateral conflict management and the near-complete sidelining of institutions like the United Nations, due to a perfect storm of funding, political and geopolitical factors," said Jair van der Lijn, director of the SIPRI Peace Operations and Conflict Management Programme. He warned that conflicts could become more frequent and have broader consequences for civilians.

Funding crisis

UN peacekeeping missions faced a $2 billion shortfall in July 2025, forcing several missions to cut personnel. Regional organizations such as the African Union, ECOWAS, and the OSCE also faced funding shortages and deadlocked decision-making due to geopolitical rivalries.

Growing gap

"As UN-led conflict management recedes, it is leaving a growing gap that alternative models are unable to fill," said Claudia Pfeifer Cruz, a senior researcher at the think tank. She noted that states must move beyond expressions of support to sustain multilateral conflict management.