Resilience and Conflict Resolution: UN Peacekeeping in Mali

Abstract

This chapter critically examines how the UN builds resilience in the Sahel region. After providing an overview of the UN approach to the region, the analysis focuses on the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA), showing that the mission focuses primarily on providing security rather than enhancing state institutions and societies’ ability to withstand shocks. MINUSMA is a crucial case for understanding why even complex, ambitious, all-encompassing, and multidimensional peacekeeping missions might ultimately be unable to build resilience. The chapter concludes by identifying some preconditions to achieve this goal, and most notably need to bring the local population to the centre and develop UN mandates to build peace from below.