The global governance system faces challenges, and as the United Nations undergoes a critical phase of reform, strengthening cooperation with regional international organizations has become a key priority. The "Pact for the Future" lists enhanced collaboration as a priority. Cooperation in peacekeeping has emerged as a trend, with its intensity measured by agreements and operational engagements. Research approaches this topic from three perspectives: the strategies of major powers toward international organizations, competition among international organizations, and resource dependency among international organizations. The intensity of cooperation between the UN and the EU, AU, and ASEAN varies significantly—high with the EU, moderate with the AU, and low with ASEAN. This paper aims to explain the reasons behind these differences in cooperation intensity.

1. Resource Dependency, Organizational Culture, and the Intensity of Inter-Organizational Cooperation

Based on the theory of resource dependency among international organizations, this study introduces the variable of "organizational cultural compatibility" to construct an analytical framework explaining differences in inter-organizational cooperation intensity. Cooperation intensity is measured through agreements (e.g., treaties, memoranda of understanding) and operational engagements (e.g., information sharing, policy coordination). The degree of resource dependency depends on the importance of resources to organizational operations and the availability of substitutes, encompassing both material and symbolic resources. Organizational cultural compatibility influences cooperation intensity and is measured across four dimensions: ideas, norms, discourse, and practices. The theoretical framework proposes four hypotheses to explore the impact of resource dependency and cultural compatibility on cooperation intensity, with empirical testing planned through case studies of UN peacekeeping cooperation with the EU, AU, and ASEAN.

2. High-Intensity Cooperation: UN-EU Peacekeeping Collaboration

The UN and EU exhibit high-intensity cooperation in peacekeeping, reflected in agreements and joint actions. The two have signed multiple peacekeeping agreements, such as the 2003 "UN-EU Joint Declaration on Crisis Management Cooperation" and the 2007 "UN-EU Joint Statement on Crisis Management Cooperation," which outline mutual obligations. Operationally, they have jointly deployed troops, coordinated decision-making, and shared intelligence, as seen in the "Operation Artemis" and the "Military Operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo." The high cooperation intensity stems from the UN's strong resource dependency on the EU, which provides critical funding, personnel, and logistical support, as well as high organizational cultural compatibility, as both prioritize peacekeeping as a core security strategy and adopt norms of "civil-military synergy in intervention."

3. Moderate-Intensity Cooperation: UN-AU Peacekeeping Collaboration

This section analyzes the moderate-intensity cooperation between the UN and AU in peacekeeping, reflected in binding agreements and mid-level operational engagements like policy coordination and information sharing. The UN's resource dependency on the AU is relatively low, as the AU cannot fully meet the UN's material and symbolic resource needs, and its mediation role is often substituted by other African sub-regional organizations. However, the two share high organizational cultural compatibility, aligning in goals (promoting peace, security, and stability) and norms (civilian protection-centered conflict intervention). Thus, despite lower resource dependency, their cultural compatibility results in moderate cooperation intensity.

4. Low-Intensity Cooperation: UN-ASEAN Peacekeeping Collaboration

The low intensity of UN-ASEAN peacekeeping cooperation is attributed to two factors. First, the UN's resource dependency on ASEAN is low, as ASEAN contributes minimally to material and symbolic resources (e.g., limited funding, personnel, and logistics in the Timor-Leste mission) and lacks mediation authority compared to Australia and others. Second, their organizational cultures are incompatible: the UN emphasizes "civilian protection," while ASEAN adheres to "non-interference in internal affairs," creating divergent norms. This aligns with Hypothesis 4: "When resource dependency and organizational cultural compatibility are both low, inter-organizational cooperation intensity is low."

5. Conclusion

By constructing a theoretical framework combining "resource dependency + organizational cultural compatibility," this study explains variations in UN-regional organization peacekeeping cooperation intensity. Integrating rationalist and constructivist perspectives, it enriches inter-organizational cooperation theory by highlighting the dual influence of resource dependency and cultural compatibility. Policy-wise, the findings offer insights for China's role in UN peacekeeping reform, suggesting that China should promote stronger UN-regional organization cooperation to address UN shortcomings, balance legitimacy and effectiveness, and uphold the UN-centered international peacekeeping system.