Winner of the 12th GoJIL Essay Competition

We are pleased to announce the publication of “A United Nations Peacekeeping Mission Tested to Its Core: UNIFIL on the Verge of Needing an (Even) More Robust Mandate?” by Natascha Gojkovic, the winning submission of the 12th Goettingen Journal of International Law (GoJIL) Essay Competition. This year’s competition, titled “The UN Mechanisms in Times of Global Crisis”, invited participants to examine contemporary and historical challenges faced by the United Nations and its organs.

Gojkovic’s contribution offers a timely and incisive analysis of the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in light of the significant escalation of attacks on peacekeepers and UN facilities since October 2024. While UNIFIL is currently authorized to use force in self-defense and in defense of its mandate, recent developments have raised the question of whether the Security Council should consider authorizing a more proactive use of force under Chapter VII of the UN Charter.

The article traces the evolution of UN peacekeeping mandates and assesses whether a shift toward a more robust posture would strengthen or undermine UNIFIL’s effectiveness. Challenging broader trends toward increasingly forceful peacekeeping models, Gojkovic argues that neutrality, restraint, and adherence to long-standing peacekeeping principles remain essential to the mission’s credibility and operational success in southern Lebanon.

This publication offers valuable insights for scholars and practitioners working on peacekeeping, mandate design, and the future of UN security operations

Please find the pre-published article here.