He echoed those warnings this week in a speech to defense officials and diplomats at a peacekeeping conference in New Delhi, saying: “Unfortunately, we have no choice.”
“Our peacekeepers, your peacekeepers, protect people: they make the difference between life and death for hundreds of thousands of civilians.” said.
Massive cuts in the field
The UN Secretary-General has ordered all missions to identify spending reductions equal to 15 percent of their annual budgets, a move that will result in an approximately 25 percent reduction in uniformed and civilian personnel due to the compressed schedule.
These reductions will affect all major areas of peacekeeping work, from patrols and protection duties to logistics, air operations and civil support functions.
The Department of Peace Operations (DPO) has warned that fewer peacekeepers on the ground will mean fewer patrols to monitor ceasefires, fewer safe areas for civilians and less support for humanitarian aid in places such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Lebanon and the Golan Heights.
Call for solidarity
Lacroix urged all Member States to pay their contributions “in full and on time” and called for a collective defense to counter what he described as “campaigns that spread misinformation and disinformation about peacekeeping operations.”
“We need your understanding and support, but we must also work together to correct this situation.” said.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in his own remarks to troop- and police-contributing countries last week, echoed that call and emphasized the importance of peacekeeping missions.
But without predictable, adequate and timely funding, peacekeeping cannot fulfill Security Council mandates.
UN peacekeepers patrolling in rural South Sudan.
Budget under pressure
In July, the General Assembly approved a $5.38 billion peacekeeping budget for 2025-26 (slightly less than $5.6 billion the previous year) covering missions and global support centers in Entebbe, Uganda, and Brindisi, Italy.
However, budget execution depends on actual contributions received.
Peacekeeping represents less than half of one percent of global military spending, estimated at $2.7 trillion in 2024, but remains one of the United Nations’ most crucial and visible tools for maintaining international peace and security.
“Some people ask why peacekeeping missions are still necessary,“said Colin Stewart, former head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). UN News shortly before retiring from the Organization.
“The answer is simple: it is peaceful because the missions have been doing their job. Without this, mistrust between the parties could easily lead to confrontation.”
A crucial juncture
Since 1948, more than two million peacekeepers from Member States have worked in some of the most hostile environments in the world, helping to implement ceasefires and creating space for political dialogue and peace processes to take hold. More than 4,400 peacekeepers have lost their lives in the search for lasting peace.
As the UN celebrates its 80th anniversary, Lacroix said the Organization is at “a crucial juncture” and must adapt peace operations to new global realities.
“The challenges ahead are real,” he warned, “but so is our ability to confront them, if we remain steadfast.” united in purpose, pragmatic in action and unwavering in our commitment to peace.“