COVID-19 and United Nations Peacekeeping Forces: New Challenges piled on Old Constraints

UN Peacekeeping forces are operational arms of security council with military, civil, administration and police mandate, active for more than 70 years in different parts of the world, to maintain international peace and security. By taking into account their historical experiences and lessons learnt from various challenges, this article considers the impact of COVID-19 global pandemic on UN Peacekeeping operations. By addressing the ways in which these forces dealt with pandemic related challenges and restrictions, it contextualizes it within their broader historical and institutional environment of adaptation. In short term, challenges emanating from COVID-19 intensifies the current challenges facing them. In longer term, it could trigger further institutional reassessment.