BACKGROUND PAPER The United Nations, Regional Organizations and a New Generation of Challenges

This paper summarizes the changing context for peace operations and its implications for cooperation between the United Nations (UN) and regional organizations, and among regional organizations themselves.

The paper argues that a significant number of peace operations will downsize and close in the near future and that will not be risk-free process, some countries will return to war or suffer from serious instability. There is a need for the UN and regional organizations not only to cooperate to minimize these risks but also to collaborate in dealing with remaining large scale crises. The international strategy towards Somalia, which involves the African Union (AU), UN, European Union (EU) and NATO, may be a model for future peace operations partnerships.