Implementing Extension of State Authority Mandates in Peacekeeping

Abstract

While the extension of state authority (ESA) concept has not been clearly defined, examples from the ground have shown that it is based on three components: presence, capacity and legitimacy. In order for sustainable peace to endure and to avoid relapse into conflict, peacekeepers must support fragile states to build presence throughout the territory, have the capacity to provide quality services and public goods, represent the normative and legal order, and earn legitimacy and credibility in the eyes of the population. This study notes that while the three components of the extension of state authority are significant and mutually reinforcing, support to efforts aimed at cultivating legitimacy are often overlooked. Therefore, it proposes a number of recommendations that center on the need to focus on all three components of the extension of state authority while prioritizing legitimacy. Furthermore, it recommends that peacekeepers conduct political analysis including an analysis of the state to drive planning and implementation of extension of state authority activities.