Peace fails if it is not defended. The UN’s peacekeepers cannot do this alone | Jean-Pierre Lacroix

Cuts in international support threaten the work of the women and men bringing hope to the world’s most vulnerable people Jean-Pierre Lacroix is UN under-secretary general for peace operations At a time when conflicts spill across borders, Am-Dafock – a town built on marshy ground in the far north of Central African Republic – offers a powerful example of why UN peacekeeping matters, even if such successes rarely make international news. In response to the growing impact of the war in neighbouring Sudan in 2024, the UN peacekeeping mission – known as Minusca – established a temporary base at the border town near Birao to protect displaced and refugee communities and create stability for the delivery of life-saving aid. Last year, intercommunal tensions in the area forced from their homes more than 11,000 people, who sought refuge by camping near the UN base. In response, Minusca peacekeepers facilitated a dialogue that led to the signing of a local peace agreement, between CAR and the Sudanese communities. As a result, nearly all those displaced families returned to their homes. This is just one example of what investing in peace looks like. Every day, more than 50,000 civ