Hybrid missions: A promising model resolving the global-regional debate

Abstract

There has always been a dilemma whether the United Nations (UN) or regional organisations are better suited to preserve peace and help former parties to reconcile after conflicts. The demand for legitimacy, efficiency and impartiality has driven the preference towards the UN - a global organisation with a strong 60 years record of peacekeeping. Regional organisations have been seen as less equipped but also as probably less unbiased when it comes to peacekeeping. However, the UN peace operations have also incurred shortages, and some recent failures - Darfur and the Democratic Republic of the Congo among the others - re-activated the debates how to engage regional organisations closely.