Guterres calls for UN peacekeeping overhaul at Security Council

September 19, 2026 at 03:18 PM1 min

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a fundamental reset of UN peacekeeping operations during a Security Council session. He said missions should be deployed only where a peace agreement or stable ceasefire exists. Guterres proposed a compact between the Security Council, the Secretariat, and host countries to define commitments.

Key Facts

Guterres said UN peacekeeping missions should be deployed only where a peace agreement or stable ceasefire exists.
He proposed a compact between the Security Council, the UN Secretariat, and host countries to define mission commitments.
Guterres called for modern mobility, new military and police capabilities, and counter-drone technologies for missions.
He urged full participation of women at all levels and accountability for attacks on peacekeepers.

The Call for Reset

Guterres told the Security Council that peacekeeping operations should be directed only to areas with a peace agreement or at least a stable ceasefire. He said conditions for blue helmets have fundamentally changed over recent decades. Peace agreements are becoming rarer and less durable, and most UN missions now operate where prospects for peace remain remote. Guterres said missions are asked to contain the consequences of wars whose parties face little pressure to end hostilities, while external forces sometimes fuel conflicts.

Proposed Compact

Guterres proposed a compact between the Security Council, the UN Secretariat, and the host country to define obligations for mandate implementation, force and equipment contributions, and use of modern technologies. He said missions need modern mobility, new military and police capabilities, and counter-drone technologies. In some countries peacekeepers are still not allowed to use equipment considered basic for any modern military structure. He also called for full participation of women at all levels and accountability for misconduct by mission staff and attacks on peacekeepers.