UN peacekeeping operations are guided by three basic principles: **consent of the parties, impartiality, and the non-use of force except in self-defense and defense of the mandate**. These principles are interrelated and mutually reinforcing, providing a "navigation aid" for practitioners in the field and at UN Headquarters. * **Consent of the parties:** Peacekeeping operations are deployed with the consent of the main parties to the conflict. This consent provides the operation with the necessary freedom of action to carry out its tasks. Without this consent, a peacekeeping operation risks becoming a party to the conflict. * **Impartiality:** Peacekeeping operations must implement their mandate without favoring any party. Impartiality is crucial to maintaining the cooperation of the main parties, but it should not be confused with neutrality or inaction. Peacekeepers should be impartial in their dealings with the parties to the conflict, but not neutral in the execution of their mandate. A peacekeeping operation should not condone actions that violate the peace process. The mission should avoid activities that might compromise its image of impartiality. * **Non-use of force except in self-defense and defense of the mandate:** Peacekeeping operations are not an enforcement tool, but they may use force at the tactical level with the authorization of the Security Council if acting in self-defense and defense of the mandate. The use of force should always be calibrated in a precise, proportional, and appropriate manner, within the principle of the minimum force necessary to achieve the desired effect, while sustaining consent for the mission and its mandate. These principles also serve as an analytical tool to help guide activities to increase the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping missions. In addition to these three basic principles, UN peacekeeping operations must also be perceived as **legitimate and credible**, particularly by the local population, and should promote **national and local ownership** to contribute to sustainable peace.