Exploring the Nexus Between Critical Infrastructure, Fragility and Peace Operations

It is said that the end purpose of a peace mission is to win people’s hearts and minds. And when it comes to winning them, infrastructure seems to be the ‘arms and legs’, through which it becomes possible. According to the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), infrastructure is a ‘double-edged sword’, and should be understood as systems comprised of assets, institutions and knowledge. In fragile contexts, states are usually unable to commit to the major financial investments required to maintain state functionality and preserve social order and stability without international support. Therefore, it is important to clarify how critical infrastructure can be interpreted and used during and after armed conflicts and explore the politics of the built environment in conflict-torn societies, especially when an international peace operation is to be deployed. The aim of this paper is to add some comments to such topics by outlining five ways through which the nexus between critical infrastructure and peace operations can be better grasped and to explore how the latter can break the vicious circle of (infrastructural) fragility.