Peacekeeping the Pacific Way in Bougainville

Abstract

Although there are appeals for more analysis of peacekeeping activity they may be missing a fundamental point. Each peacekeeping operation may be so distinct as to lead to a conclusion that the focus of any analysis should be on the environment in which the operation takes place, rather than on peacekeeping as such. The continuing operation in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, has been successful to a significant degree precisely because the protagonists and planners considered the ‘Pacific Way’ to be the most important variable, rather than any particular ‘peacekeeping'‐related need. It may not be possible to generalize the processes used in Bougainville in relation to other peacekeeping operations but they do suggest that thorough analysis and careful, coordinated implementation pay high dividends. To this extent, the lessons of the ‘Pacific Way’ in peacekeeping may be relevant to other operations.