Troop numbers have hit their lowest level in at least 25 years, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

Global peacekeeping operations have declined sharply amid geopolitical divisions and funding pressures, increasing the risk of further conflicts, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

A total of 78,633 international personnel were deployed in peacekeeping operations as of December 2025. This is the lowest figure recorded since at least 2000, down 49% from 2016 levels, SIPRI said on Monday. Deployments also fell by 17% year-on-year, marking the steepest annual decline of the past decade.

"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. The result is likely to be "more conflicts" with "even graver impacts on civilians," he warned.

All ten top contributors of military personnel for multilateral peacekeeping operations came from the Global South last year, SIPRI said.

UN-managed missions have been particularly affected by the funding crisis, with several major donors failing to pay their contributions on time or in full, the report said. In July of 2025, UN peacekeeping operations faced a $2 billion shortfall - more than 35% of their total 2024-25 budget - forcing deep personnel cuts.

The warning comes as the UN grapples with a broader financial crisis. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that, if member states neglect to pay their mandatory contributions and the UN fails to overhaul its financial rules, the organization is at risk of "imminent financial collapse." The largest contributor, the US, has sharply reduced funding for several UN programs amidst President Donald Trump's 'America First' policy shift. Trump has repeatedly criticized the body as ineffective.

SIPRI said growing political pressure is also affecting UN operations, noting that Washington has pushed for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be withdrawn despite repeated violations of the Israel-Lebanon ceasefire.

Such developments could signal a "progressively smaller role" for the UN in responding to global crises, SIPRI said. "As UN-led conflict management recedes, it is leaving a growing gap that alternative models are unable to fill," the researchers concluded.

(RT.com)