In the past two decades, the international community has had to confront a significant increase in the number of internal conflicts around the globe that have necessitated an outside peacekeeping and stabilization presence. Since 1998, peacekeeping demands on the United Nations have increased six fold with roughly two-dozen operations and nearly 100,000 military personnel deployed. Demand is likely to increase in the coming years. Beyond the United Nations, the requirements for more peacekeepers has resulted in the increased participation of regional and subregional organizations in peace and stability operations, from the African Union mission in Sudan to the European Union mission in Bosnia to NATO’s deployments in Kosovo and Afghanistan.

Yet, despite the increased participation of regional organizations and coalitions of willing states in peace and stability operations worldwide, there still exists significant gaps. More peacekeepers are needed, particularly in Africa. In addition to the demand for more troops, most peace and stability operations also require a robust reconstruction effort, from rebuilding destroyed infrastructure to retraining indigenous forces. A failure to adequately analyze and confront the challenges facing the international community in peace and stability operations has resulted in significant costs, especially in human lives.

For nearly a decade, The Fund for Peace has been on the forefront of research on how to best confront the new challenges facing the UN and regional organizations in peace and stability operations. Working closely with national and international organizations, as well as civil society groups, the Peace and Stability Operations Project is currently focused on:

- Assessing the political will and physical capacities of regional and subregional organizations to contribute to peace and stability operations in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas.
- Collaborating with leading international scholars and experts on an edited volume on peacekeeping operations, which analyzes global and national trends in peacekeeping contributions.
- Engaging intellectuals, scholars, and leading journalists in the Middle East on how to best protect civilians caught in the region.
- Working closely with other leading research organizations and government agencies to design a comprehensive system of metrics to evaluate best practices and lessons learned in peace and stability operations.