Peacekeeping showcases the power of multilateralism, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasised as he opened the 2025 United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial, taking place from 13 to 14 May 2025 in Berlin, Germany.
The high-level political forum brings together around 1,000 participants, including Foreign and Defence Ministers from approximately 60 countries, and is co-organised by the German Federal Foreign Office and the German Ministry of Defence. This year’s event focuses on shaping the future of peacekeeping and addressing the challenges facing modern peace operations.
A lasting impact on world peace
During the high-level opening ceremony, Mr Guterres led a moment of silence in memory of peacekeepers who lost their lives in service.
“UN Blue Helmets are the most globally recognised symbol of the world’s ability to come together to help countries move from conflict to peace,” Mr Guterres said. “They are also a clear demonstration of the power of multilateral action to maintain, achieve and sustain peace.”
The Secretary-General noted that numerous countries — including Cambodia, Côte d’Ivoire, El Salvador, Liberia, Namibia, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste — have achieved durable peace with the support of UN peacekeeping operations.
Reforming peacekeeping for the future
Combining political dialogue with concrete pledges, the Berlin Ministerial aims to strengthen training, technology, and capacity-building in UN peace operations. It provides a platform for Member States to reaffirm political support, make concrete pledges, and help shape the future of UN peacekeeping.
Mr Guterres called on delegates to confront the limitations facing peacekeeping today. He warned that operations are “only as effective as the mandates directing them, and can struggle in contexts where political support and clearly defined outcomes and solutions are absent or elusive.”
He also noted the growing challenges within the international community: “There are also increasing differences of views around how peacekeeping operations should work, under what circumstances, with what mandates they should be deployed, and for how long,” Mr Guterres explained. “And we face dramatic financial constraints across the board.”
Mr Guterres outlined three priority areas for reform: ensuring peacekeeping operations are fit for the future; increasing adaptability and flexibility — including in the use of resources; and securing strong, predictable, and sustained contributions, all underpinned by political support. “Peace operations cannot succeed in the absence of a political solution,” he urged.
He further underscored the value of peacekeeping as a global public good. “With a budget shared by all 193 Member States and representing a tiny fraction of global military spending — around one half of one per cent — UN Peacekeeping remains one of the most effective and cost-effective tools to build international peace and security.”
Mr Guterres concluded by reinforcing the urgency of international cooperation. “The world needs the United Nations,” he said. “And the United Nations needs peacekeeping that is fully equipped for today’s realities and tomorrow’s challenges.”
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