Germany participated in humanitarian missions of the United Nations in Cambodia and in peacekeeping operations in Somalia. In December 1995, 4,000 Bundeswehr soldiers began participating in the Bosnia operations of the Implementation Force (IFOR) under NATO command; since 1 January 1997, 3,000 have been participating in the operations of its successor, tne Stabilization Force (SFOR). The Bundeswehr troops are stationed in Croatia and Italy.

In a judgment handed down on 12 July 1994, the Federal Constitutional Court clarified the admissibility of participation by German armed forces in operations abroad within the framework of collective security systems. Such participation must be approved by the German Bundestag.

Germany will maintain its policy of restraint in respect of participation by the Bundeswehr in operations abroad but shall in the future fully face up to its responsibility to help preserve global peace, which is today being safeguarded in 14 countries of the world by about 70,000 blue-helmet United Nations troops from more than 80 nations.