Peacekeeping personnel reach lowest level in 25 years

The number of military personnel deployed in peacekeeping operations worldwide reached its lowest level in at least 25 years by the end of 2025. Stockholm International Peace Research Institute data showed 78,633 international personnel assigned to peace operations on December 31, a 17 percent decline from the previous year and a 49 percent decline since the end of 2016.

Funding and policy changes SIPRI said cuts stemmed mainly from a United Nations funding crisis caused by delayed or unpaid contributions from major donors. The shortfall prompted reductions in spending on several large operations. The United Nations peacekeeping budget faced a $2 billion shortfall at the start of July 2025.

The General Assembly approved a $5.38 billion budget for the 2025-2026 period, the lowest in at least a decade. The United States took significant action in 2025 to withdraw from, defund, or challenge various UN bodies, the report stated. This included seeking an end to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon by December 2026.

Regional distribution and contributors Sub-Saharan Africa hosted 70 percent of deployed personnel, the Middle East and North Africa 15 percent, and Europe 12 percent. The two largest operations were the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic and the UN Mission in South Sudan.

The ten largest contributors of military and police personnel were all countries in the Global South. Uganda supplied the most troops with 4,657, followed by Nepal, Bangladesh, and India, each providing more than 4,000. SIPRI noted that regional organizations conducted 34 of the 52 total operations but face capability and funding gaps that limit their ability to replace UN-led missions.