UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- A top U.N. official said peacekeeping operations would be reviewed in 2009 as the level of deployments continues to strain capabilities.
Alain Le Roy, U.N. undersecretary-general for peacekeeping operations, addressed the U.N. General Assembly's Special Committee on Peacekeeping on Monday. He said peacekeeping operations around the world are placing a heavy strain on the United Nations and are stretched thin, the United Nations reported.
The growing difficulty of operations in volatile countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Darfur region of Sudan is placing "unprecedented demands and extreme constraints" on peacekeepers, the United Nations reported.
Le Roy warned the committee of possible failures and said that the operations deploying approximately 112,000 troops will be thoroughly reviewed in 2009.
"2009 will be a crucial year for peacekeeping," Le Roy said in a statement.
"A number of our missions face risks that are so significant that I cannot discount the potential for mission failure. ... This situation begs an analysis of mandates."
