Military Interactions with Local Actors

Abstract

The relationship between soldiers and local actors is key to the successful development of Peacekeeping Operations (PKO). In the last decade, an emphasis has been placed on these actors mainly local authorities, populations and NGOs-acceptance of the international missions in order to ensure greater effectiveness. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore military actions in PKO from a micro-level, focusing on the multiple forms of interaction with those local actors from the point of view of the PKO officers. The most important conclusion drawn is, to these officers, relationships were mainly positive; which in turn provides more information on two important issues: it is possible that positive perceptions add trust to international missions and it shows a general acknowledgement of the army’s leadership role and its empathy towards local populations.