Ceasefires are as old as armed conflict, and each one is unique, context-specific and defies a rigid template. They follow a flexible set of technical, thematic and political parameters. Ceasefires are embedded in a broader political context which must be appreciated and carefully analyzed in order to have a realistic approach.
The United Nations and its partners – Member States, regional and sub-regional organizations, community leaders, non-governmental and local entities – have all worked on and implemented ceasefire agreements. Based on its deep institutional experience, the Mediation Support Unit (MSU) provides operational support, strategic guidance and organizes capacity building initiatives with respect to negotiation or mediation of ceasefires and security arrangements. When and if asked, such support is provided to UN Special Envoys, leadership and staff members of the UN special political mission and peacekeeping operations, Member States and other partners.
Strategic Guidance
MSU develops strategic guidance on ceasefires and security arrangements to support United Nations senior leadership and staff, mediators, and facilitators within and outside the UN. These materials are reviewed and updated on a regular basis to reflect contemporary operational needs and requirements. MSU has recently launched or is in the process of launching undermentioned guidance.
Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires
The Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires was launched in September 2022 and focuses on the technical considerations that affect ceasefire mediation and negotiation processes. The Guidance provides a framework of basic building blocks for ceasefires that can be adapted to any given context. The guidance shares ceasefire examples from around the globe from a technical perspective, without making judgments on the success or failure of any given peace process. The Guidance is available in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
UN Photo/Yutaka Nagata
The Guidance is designed to support United Nations senior leader- ship and staff, mediators, and facilitators within and outside the UN, along with their teams, conflict parties, representatives of States and regional organizations, national and international non-governmental organizations, women’s groups and other stakeholders in peace processes.
The United Nations requires its mediators to address conflict-related sexual violence. This guidance offers mediators and their teams principles and strategies for including this critical peacebuilding and security concern in ceasefire and peace agreements.
Guidance for Mediators: Addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Ceasefire and Peace Agreements
Prepared in response to the request of the General Assembly and in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations, this Guidance document aims to inform the design and management of mediation processes. It is intended as a resource for mediators, States and other actors supporting mediation efforts but is also relevant for conflict parties, civil society and other stakeholders. The Guidance is available in English, French and Chinese.
UN Photo/Fardin Waezi
Policy Note on Challenges and Opportunities of UN Secretary-General’s Call for a Global Ceasefire (June 2020)
On 23 March 2020, Secretary-General António Guterres issued an appeal for an immediate global ceasefire to help create conditions for the delivery of lifesaving aid, reinforce diplomatic action and bring hope to places that are among the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June 2020, the Secretary General’s call had received support from 180 Member States and one non-member observer State, as well as a range of regional organizations and international and local civil society actors. This note analyses the response and discusses the opportunities and challenges presented by the Secretary-General’s appeal.
Operational support
Upon request, the Mediation Support Unit (MSU) provides targeted technical expertise, operational support and advice on ceasefires and security arrangements to UN and non-UN partners. This support and expertise are provided by the senior advisors of Mediation Support Unit and Standby Team of Senior Mediation Advisers. Such operational support could include, but is not limited to, the following activities:
- Desk review or analysis for provision of relevant technical advice with respect to a specific thematic area.
- Provision of expert advice.
- On site or field deployment based on specific deliverables that are requested by the requesting partner.
- Remote operational support using digital connectivity means which may or may not be preceded by a desk review or analysis.
- Support in planning and conduct including through facilitation of tailored thematic workshops and engagement sessions with stakeholders.
UN Photo/Steen Johansen
UN Photo/Justyna Melnikiewicz
Capacity Building
The negotiations or mediation of ceasefires and security arrangements involves discussions on a range of complex technical issues. It is imperative that the stakeholders have the required technical knowledge of the concepts in order to enable them to present their vision and positions in a logical and coherent manner – while retaining the ability to create more realistic options and common areas of agreement. Similarly, a capacitated mediation or negotiation support team can constructively support a ceasefire process and help the parties reach a successful conclusion to their negotiations.
In pursuit of its objective to build capacities of a broad set of stakeholders including UN staff members, civil society representatives, regional or sub-regional organisation officials, parties to conflict and the peace-making community, MSU organises a number of capacity building initiatives.
UN Photo/Hector Latorre
UN Photo/Agnieszka Mikulska
Annual UN Ceasefire Mediation Course – Oslo/Norway
MSU conducts the United Nations Ceasefire Mediation Course on an annual basis. This training is conducted in partnership with the Norwegian Defense International Centre /Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.
The training is attended by mid- and senior-level officials of the United Nations and its partners who currently work in an environment where a ceasefire arrangement is either being mediated or already in place and who are directly involved in developing, supporting or managing the ceasefire arrangement. In addition to field and headquarters-based UN staff, the training is also attended by selected representatives from member states, regional or sub-regional organizations and parties to conflict who bring realistic insights and rich experiences to the course.
Annual UN Women and Ceasefires Online Course
Globally women continue to be largely underrepresented as direct participants in ceasefire negotiations and implementation. This extended online course seeks to increase the number of women with the technical skills to participate in ceasefire and security arrangements negotiations and implementation. It is conducted on an annual basis with approximately 30-35 women from a diverse set of global contexts. The course is being undertaken in furtherance of DPPA's commitment to the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, in particular to support women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace efforts and strengthen the gender-responsiveness of security arrangements. For any inquiries, please contact women-in-ceasefires@un.org.
