As UN peacekeeping evolves to navigate new and seemingly insurmountable realities including intra-state wars and transnational crime, it is important to acknowledge recent studies demonstrating how the UN can help reduce overall conflict rates, protect hundreds of thousands of civilians, and gradually tip the scales in favour of peace.

As Germany assumes one of ten elected seats in the UN Security Council it can seize the moment to contribute to the regeneration of one of the cornerstones of the rules-based international order.