Rethinking United Nations (UN) peacekeeping in an era of new wars: structural challenges and strategic reforms in Africa, 2020–2025

Abstract

The period 2020–2025 marked a decisive shift in global conflict dynamics. The rise of asymmetric, fragmented, and digitally driven "new wars" has fundamentally challenged the foundations of United Nations (UN) peacekeeping. This article examines how emerging conflict patterns characterized by violent extremism, transnational armed networks, geopolitical competition, and information warfare expose deep structural limitations within legacy peacekeeping models. Using a comparative qualitative case-study design, this research triangulates data across four flagship missions: MINUSMA (Mali), MONUSCO (DR Congo), MINUSCA (Central African Republic), and UNMISS (South Sudan). The theoretical framework integrates Strategic Peacekeeping Theory to evaluate mandate–capacity alignment, and Political Settlement Theory to analyze institutional performance in environments lacking inclusive elite bargains. The findings reveal five systemic structural challenges: mandate–capacity mismatches, the erosion of host-state consent, geopolitical rivalries that undermine neutrality, acute operational vulnerabilities in mobility and intelligence, and severe legitimacy crises driven by digital disinformation. These constraints collectively impede mission effectiveness and threaten the long-term strategic relevance of UN interventions. To address these vulnerabilities, the article outlines a comprehensive reform agenda centered on mandate differentiation, intelligence-led operations, cyber-defense capabilities, hybrid UN–regional mission structures, and the subordination of military deployment to clear political strategies. These strategic interventions offer a pragmatic roadmap for recalibrating UN peacekeeping into an adaptive, legitimate, and effective instrument for 21st-century international security.