The research investigated and evaluated United Nations peacebuilding missions in fragile states, with a Somalia case study by analysing both successes and challenges through Critical Peacebuilding Theory (CPT).

The research question of this study focused on understanding how Somali political leaders perceive and evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations' peacebuilding missions in Somalia and what their perspectives reveal about developing local peacebuilding alternatives.

This study uses a qualitative research design and semi-structured interviews with Somali political leaders. The analysis stresses the need for a bottom-up approach that accounts for the lived experiences of the local Somali community. This study contributes to the debate on international engagement in countries emerging from conflicts. More specifically, on the conditions necessary for sustainable political recovery. This is done by underlining the weaknesses of top-down peacebuilding models and the significance of local legitimacy.