Description
The “crisis of multilateralism” and the political divisions between member states have a major impact on UN peacekeeping operations. In this international context, missions are less and less consensual in the Security Council, host countries and populations are questioning their consent, and budget negotiations are more difficult than ever. This presentation aims to understand the institutional, political and legal mechanisms implemented by the United Nations Secretariat to deal with this political crisis. The concept of procedural legitimization sheds light on these institutional practices: inclusive decision-making, ritualization of peacekeeping operations, recourse to expertise, peacekeeping reform (A4P, Future of Peacekeeping, New Agenda for Peace), etc. Finally, the UN bureaucracy resorts to institutional “bricolages” to overcome political crises. This work is based on a five-month fieldwork in New York City at the UN headquarters.
