20 The Law of International Peace Operations

Subject(s):

Self-defence — International humanitarian law — International peace and security

This chapter assesses the law of international peace operations, comprising both peacekeeping operations and peace enforcement operations conducted in support of diplomatic efforts to establish and maintain peace. Peace operations will derive their legitimacy from the authority of the Security Council. In establishing a peace operation, the Security Council follows the Charter of the United Nations, exercising its primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Legitimacy confers a privileged legal status on a peace operation and its personnel that is essential in implementing its mandate. The rules of engagement for the operation, which form the legal authority for the use of force, specify how and when peacekeepers are authorized to use force, including deadly force. Other international legal instruments and norms guide the activities of peacekeepers and define the relationship between the operation and the host country. Altogether, the apparatus of authority and law composes the legal framework for peace operations.