UN Peacekeeping: Agency marks 70th anniversary amid sex scandals

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02:28

The United Nations peacekeeping agency is marking its 70th anniversary. But a series of sexual abuse scandals have taken some luster off the prestigious Blue Helmets. Critics say the agency also needs to be overhauled to better fit the nature of modern -- longer-- peacekeeping missions. CGTN's William Denselow takes a look at some of the challenges it faces.

A show of respect for a fallen peacekeeper. In Mali, it's a familiar sight. Last year, 21 Blue Helmets died in the country.

ANTONIO GUTERRES UN SECRETARY GENERAL "Peace in Mali is a factor of worldwide security. And the world must understand that it has to support you without conditions."

But funding for United Nations Peacekeeping is far from unconditional. In June, the UN General Assembly voted to slash $600 million from its annual budget of nearly eight billion.

WILLIAM DENSELOW NEW YORK "The United States said it will no longer fund a quarter of the UN's peacekeeping operations. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley hailed the move saying there should be a shared burden with shared costs."

The aim is to make UN peacekeeping more efficient, but some warn it could have major consequences for Blue Helmets working in increasingly dangerous environments.

SIMON ADAMS EXEC. DIRECTOR, GLOBAL CENTER FOR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT "The cuts not only hurt the peacekeepers in terms of their equipment, in terms of the numbers, in terms of what they are able to do in the field. The people they truly leave vulnerable are the people who live in these countries."

UN peacekeeping has been operational for 70 years. To mark this occasion, a high-level meeting is scheduled during the annual UN General Assembly. Nations are set to reaffirm their support for the work they do around the world. But this comes as Blue Helmets have been under fire for a slew of sexual assault scandals.

Antonio Guterres has made this issue a key priority but some say that the UN's inability to administer punitive measures remains a problem.

DIRK SALOMONS LECTURER IN INT'L AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY "If the countries themselves, troop-contributing countries are not much more forceful in sticking their soldiers with stiff rules and stiff penalties, the UN is pointless."

Guterres calls UN peacekeepers the foremost symbol of the United Nations. But UN officials say the Blue Helmets remain the thin blue line protecting some of the world's most vulnerable people. William Denselow, CGTN, New York.