Brazil’s involvement in UN peacekeeping efforts, in numbers

In October, The Brazilian Report took a look back on the legacy of Brazil’s peacekeeping mission in Haiti, a 15-year military endeavor implemented by the United Nations and led by the Brazilian Army. Since the stabilization mission (known by the acronym MINUSTAH) began in 2004, much has been achieved. But not peace. 

According to UN spokesperson Marta Hurtado, at least 42 people were killed and 86 were severely injured during a new wave of protests in September. The organization, however, downsized the mission until only a small office remained to guide local Haitian authorities. Therefore, Brazil’s role has been drastically reduced.

But Brazil’s history in peacekeeping did not begin in Haiti and in fact dates back to the 1940s. Seventy years later, the Igarapé Institute — an independent think tank — published a 20-page report entitled “It’s time to reengage: Brazil and UN peacekeeping operations” which includes data on the Brazilian army’s financial obligations and accomplishments beyond its own borders. 

The institute told The Brazilian Report that the study was not prepared in response to any request from Brazilian authorities. 

51 international peacekeeping missions

Between 1947 and 2019, Brazil has been engaged in 51 peacekeeping missions. The country joined the first UN multilateral mission, the United Nations Special Committee on the Balkans (UNSCOB) in 1947. At the time, the country had a significant influence on the global council’s decisions.

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