How does the UN Security Council establish a peacekeeping mission?

A peacekeeping operation is established through a mandate adopted by the UN Security Council, typically requiring nine affirmative votes and no vetoes by permanent members.

What is the difference between UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding?

Peacekeeping involves deploying international personnel to help maintain peace and security in conflict-affected areas, whereas peacebuilding aims to reduce the risk of lapsing or relapsing into conflict by strengthening national capacities for conflict management.

Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the

Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists: List I (UN Peacekeeping Operation) - List II (Period of Operation) A. UNMIL - 1. 2007-2010List I · UN Peacekeeping OperationList II · Period of OperationB. MINURCAT -2. 2002-2005C. MINUSTAH -3. 2003-2018D. UNMISET -4. 2004-2017 Code: A B C D

Page facts

Exam: Union Public Service Commission — Civil Services Examination (UPSC)
Board: UPSC
Stage: Prelims
Year: 2026
Paper: UPSC Prelims — Prelims General Studies Paper I (General Studies)
Booklet: Set A
Question: Q72
Topic: Current Affairs and GK
Syllabus: Current events, government schemes, miscellaneous GK — Prelims GS Paper I.

Explanation

A
3 4 1 2
UNMIL (United Nations Mission in Liberia) operated from 2003 to 2018, MINURCAT (United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad) from 2007 to 2010, MINUSTAH (United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti) from 2004 to 2017, and UNMISET (United Nations Mission in Support of East Timor) from 2002 to 2005. This sequence corresponds to 3, 4, 1, 2, which does not match the official key.
B
3 1 4 2
UNMIL operated from 2003 to 2018 (A-3), MINURCAT operated from 2007 to 2010 (B-1), MINUSTAH operated from 2004 to 2017 (C-4), and UNMISET operated from 2002 to 2005 (D-2). This pairs the UN peacekeeping missions correctly with their respective operational periods as 3, 1, 4, 2.
C
2 1 4 3
UNMIL matched to 2 (2002-2005) is incorrect because UNMIL's mandate began in 2003. MINURCAT matched to 1 (2007-2010) is correct, but the remaining pairings do not align with the established timelines of MINUSTAH and UNMISET.
D
2 4 1 3
UNMIL matched to 2 and MINURCAT matched to 4 places incorrect operational windows for both missions, rendering this combination factually inaccurate against UN peacekeeping archives.

Summary. Official key is (b) because the chronological mandates of UNMIL (2003-2018), MINURCAT (2007-2010), MINUSTAH (2004-2017), and UNMISET (2002-2005) align precisely with the code 3-1-4-2.

Explanation

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