The Use of Force and International Law

This chapter has as its focus not the institution of peacekeeping per se, but more specifically the use of force within, and as a now an integral part of, United Nations peacekeeping. It begins by attempting to define UN peacekeeping, given its absence from the UN Charter, and goes on to address the legal basis for peacekeeping operations and the basic principles of peacekeeping. The chapter then traces the development of peacekeeping, from the early UN Charter-era operations, which saw the establishment of the basic principles, through to the challenges to these principles, which did not take long to manifest themselves, in particular through the use of forcible measures by peacekeeping forces. Finally, the chapter examines the evolution of the use of force within peacekeeping missions, from simple self-defence to the implementation and enforcement of robust mandates, and assesses not only whether the various forms of forcible peacekeeping can be reconciled with the fundamental principles of peacekeeping, but also whether peacekeeping has now taken on a war-fighting role.