Peace operations are among the most important international mechanisms for contemporary conflict management. However, their effectiveness remains the subject of debate in both the policy and academic communities. International organizations that conduct peace operations, like the United Nations, have come under increasing pressure to justify their impact.
Although various initiatives are underway to improve the ability of these organizations to assess their performance, there is a lack of independent, external research about the effectiveness of peace operations.
To address this gap, the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) together with 40 partners from across the globe have established an international network to undertake research into the effectiveness of peace operations. Of these, 18 are included in the NORGLOBAL EPON project. The overall aim of EPON is to enhance the effectiveness of international peace operations, by enabling and supporting collaborative research. The results of these research studies will be shared at seminars in Oslo, Addis Ababa (African Union), Brussels (European Union) and in New York (United Nations).
Over time, EPON will produce a substantial amount of mission-specific research studies, which will be a rich source for further research, for instance, for identifying common factors that influence the effectiveness of peace operations across a broad range of cases. This data will be made available via a dedicated web-based dataset that will be a publicly available repository of knowledge on this topic. EPON has been developed in close coordination and consultation with the UN Department of Peace Operations and the African Union’s Peace Support Operations Division.
EPON is the first global research network that will use a shared methodology to assess the effectiveness of contemporary peace operations. The data generated will be freely available to the global peace operations community, with the overall aim to enhance the effectiveness of international peace operations.
Related projects:
For frequent project updates, please visit EPON's webpage, where you will find publications from all network partners. By scrolling further down this page, you will find a list of EPON related publications published by NUPI or authored by NUPI researchers from our archive. Key EPON reports are:
EPON events, news and streams:
Podcasts from EPON:
Want to know more about NUPI's work on these topics? Check out our pages on peace operations and the UN.
On 20 October, the Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network, the Training for Peace Programme and the Security Institute for Governance and Leadership hosted a seminar under the title “Examining the Effectiveness of a New Generation of African Peace Operations” at the Stellenbosch Institute for Ad1
These were some of the questions raised when researchers from the NUPI-led Effectiveness of Peace Operations Network (EPON) shared their insights in Washington, D.C. and New York.
On 14-16 May 2019, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-hosted the 2019 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development titled ‘From crisis response to peacebuilding: Achieving synergies’.
In this book launch interview, editors Mateja Peter and Cedric de Coning reflect upon findings from their most recent book, identifying four global transformations and their implications for UN peace operations.
The global order is changing – how will that uncertainty impact UN peace operations?
UN peacekeeping faces significant challenges and some question whether it can remain relevant, but most countries agree on the importance of the UN as the centrepiece of global governance, and that peacekeeping is its flagship enterprise.
The world is facing enormous challenges in light of protracted crises and conflicts. The United Nations are looking for answers with the new ‘sustaining peace’ approach. What are the chances of the new approach to change the UN and create sustainable peace? Cedric de Coning offers a cur1
Is UN Peace Operations adapting fast enough to remain relevant in today’s rapidly changing global landscape?
What exactly is new and innovative about the peacebuilding approach of the rising powers from the Global South?
Read Senior Research fellow John Karlsrud's opan access article.
UN Peace and Development Advisors (PDA) gather at NUPI.
Former employee
Former employee
African Center for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), South Africa
Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping & Peacebuilding (CCCPA), Egypt
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS-Jakarta), Indonesia
Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), Sweden
German Peace Operations Centre (ZIF), Germany
International Peace Institute (IPI), USA
Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS), Ethiopia
Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC), Ghana
Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Finland
Norwegian Defence International Centre (NODEFIC), Norway
Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI), Norway
Norwegian Defence University College (NDUC/FHS), Norway
Norwegian Police University College (PHS), Norway
Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Norway
SaferGlobe, Finland
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Sweden
UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
United Services Institute – India (USI-India), India
On the occasion of the International Day of Peacekeeping, NUPI has the pleasure of inviting you to a seminar with a focus on the effectiveness of the UN missions in Mali and South Sudan.
Experts from around the world will take a closer look at how effective UN Peace Operations actually are.
Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix will talk about the status of UN Peace Operations.