This chapter explores the issue of diversity within mission’s leadership: between the Special Representatives of the Secretary-General (SRSG) and the Force Commanders (FC). It asks how this affects operational performances. In three case studies, UNIFIL II, MINUSMA and MINUSCA, the chapter finds the presence of communication and coordination problems, mainly related to personalities rather than diversity. Occasionally, the problem was a lack of experience of leadership. Another issue that emerges is the difficulty of SRSGs to act as the principal in relation to security issues. Yet, with learning and expert advisors these dimensions can easily be overcome. The chapter then introduces new data on SRSGs and FCs for all the operations in the post-Cold War period. The quantitative analysis shows a negative correlation between diversity within a mission’s leadership and the level of civilian victimization and battle deaths. As such, diversity seems to have beneficial conflict reduction effects.
