Malawi's contributions to United Nations peacekeeping have historically been underexplored, overshadowed by the focus on larger or more visible African troop contributors. This paper addresses that gap by critically evaluating the Malawi Defence Force (MDF) through the lens of Nina Wilén and Paul D. Williams's (2024) 'peacekeeping army' framework, which assesses military organizations based on function, adaptation, scale, and salience. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative analysis of UN deployment data (1994–2024) with qualitative insights into institutional motivations, the study finds that the MDF meets many core criteria of a 'peacekeeping army.' Malawi has regularly deployed significant troop contingents, adapted its training and institutional practices to UN standards, and prioritized peacekeeping in its foreign and defense policy. Motivations for this engagement span political, economic, institutional, normative, and security considerations, reflecting both domestic and international drivers. However, the paper argues that the existing framework does not fully capture the unique qualities and transformative impacts of Malawi's peacekeeping experience. In light of evolving multilateralism and the UN's 'A New Agenda for Peace,' the study calls for an expanded conceptualization of 'peacekeeping armies' to better recognize the contributions of smaller states like Malawi and to inform future peace operations policy and scholarship.
Chikondi Chidzanja (Wed,) studied this question.