Department of Peacekeeping Operations The Department of Peacekeeping Operations ( DPKO ) is a department of the United Nations which is charged with the planning , preparation , management and direction of UN peacekeeping operations . History of the DPKO . The DPKO traces its roots to 1948 with the creation of the UNMOGIP and UNTSO . Up to the late 1980s , peacekeeping missions were operated by six officials in the United Nations Office of Special Political Affairs , which was headed first by Brian Urquhart and then Marrack Goulding . From the beginning , peacekeeping operations operated with a clear doctrine that applied to its traditional or classical peacekeeping operations for inter - state ceasefires : peacekeepers did not take sides or discharge firearms , save in self - defense , or meddle in politics . The official DPKO was created in 1992 when Boutros Boutros - Ghali took office as Secretary - General of the United Nations ; its creation was one of his first decisions . Goulding became under - secretary - general ( or USG ) for peacekeeping with Kofi Annan appointed as his deputy . The role of the DPKO , however , wasn ' t clarified until June 1992 , when Boutrous - Ghali issued a plan to strengthen the UN ' s capacity for preventative diplomacy and peacekeeping , entitled " An Agenda for Peace " . Organizational structure . DPKO is split into two main offices : the Office of Operations and the Office of Mission Support . Included within the Office of Mission Support ( or OMS ) are the logistics and administrative divisions , which provide logistics , personnel , and financial support services to DPKO missions . OMS is responsible for determining financial reimbursement to UN member states for their contribution of Contingent owned equipment , troops , and services to peacekeeping missions . Letters of Assist are an important part of this . Also part of DPKO are Mine Action , Training , Best Practices , and Military and Police Divisions . A March 2007 United Nations General Assembly Resolution titled “ Strengthening the capacity of the Organization in Peacekeeping Operations ” has called for the re - structuring of the department and the establishment of a separate Department of Field Support . Whereas the new entity serves as a key enabler by co - ordinating the administration and logistics in UN peacekeeping operations , DPKO concentrates on policy planning and providing strategic directions . This re - organisation was paralleled by a DPKO reform effort launched in 2005 entitled ' Peace Operations 2010 ' , which further pursues reforms initiated by the ' Brahimi Report ' Report of the Panel on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations . This included an increase in personnel , the harmonization of the conditions of service of field and headquarters staff , the development of guidelines and standard operating procedures , and improving the partnership arrangement between the Department of Peacekeeping Operations ( DPKO ) and the United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP ) , African Union and European Union . One area of this reform effort has been the development of clearer internal doctrine or guidance for UN peacekeeping . The highest level DPKO doctrine document was issued in 2008 , known as the ' capstone ' doctrine . Financing . The bulk of peacekeeping operations funding is appropriated much like the general budget , but permanent members of the Security Council are required to pay a larger share , and all states are free to contribute additional funding , equipment , or other services to missions of their respective choices . Current operations . As of 2010 , DPKO leads 16 different missions in Africa , the Caribbean , the Middle East , Americas , Europe and Asia . Serving in these missions are over 100 , 000 uniformed and civilian personnel . Total approved annual expenses are over US $ 5 billion for the period July 2006 to June 2007 . " The Surge " . At an October 2006 press conference , the then USG Jean - Marie Guéhenno announced that peacekeeping operations had reached an all time high , and will continue to expand as UNIFIL and UNMIT reach full strength , and if a UN mission enters Darfur .