Ceasefire Services — Making Peace Operational
“Peace is not a document to be signed but a process to be sustained.” — Kofi Annan
Existing Situation
Ceasefires are among the most fragile instruments of peace. Around the world, countless ceasefire agreements collapse within days or weeks because monitoring, communication, and verification are under-resourced or politically delayed. The United Nations has no standing, rapidly deployable service dedicated solely to supporting, verifying, and stabilizing ceasefires before full peacekeeping missions can be mandated. As a result, precious windows for de-escalation often close before they can deliver relief.
Diagnose Impact
The absence of a dedicated ceasefire support capacity leaves the UN reactive rather than preventive. When fragile truces fail, civilian casualties rise, humanitarian access is blocked, and distrust between parties deepens — making future negotiations far harder. Regional and national mediators often lack the technical expertise, logistics, or neutrality needed to sustain agreements in volatile environments. The credibility of the UN as a peace facilitator suffers when signed commitments are left to unravel on their own.
Roles of Each Nation
All Member States can strengthen global ceasefire capacity through coordinated action. Major troop-contributing countries and regional organizations can second experienced military and police observers to a standing UN roster. Neutral and small states can provide political backing, funding, and technical experts in communications, mapping, and early warning. The General Assembly can institutionalize oversight, while the Peacebuilding Fund can finance quick-start operations to deploy within 72 hours of an agreement. Every nation, regardless of power, can help ensure that when guns fall silent, they stay silent.
Prescribe the Change
We call for the creation of a United Nations Ceasefire Support Service (UNCSS) — a standing, rapidly deployable civilian-military team within the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. The UNCSS would provide verification teams, digital mapping, secure communications, and neutral liaison officers to support any ceasefire endorsed by the UN or regional bodies. It would operate under clear, pre-approved mandates, financed by a pooled trust fund and coordinated with OCHA and DPO. Its goal: to make ceasefire management as professional, fast, and credible as humanitarian response.
Show the Outcome
With a dedicated Ceasefire Service, the United Nations would no longer wait for peace to fail before it acts. Communities in crisis would experience immediate relief, negotiators would gain time and trust, and humanitarian corridors could open within days instead of months. The UN’s reputation as a practical peace-enabler would be restored, showing that words at the table can be matched by deeds in the field. Peace would cease to be an event — it would become a service delivered.
5-Step Action Framework for Ceasefire Services — Making Peace Operational
Step 1 — Establish the United Nations Ceasefire Support Service (UNCSS)
Lead: UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA)
Supporting: UN Department of Peace Operations (DPO), OCHA, and the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO).
- Draft the operational mandate, structure, and staffing plan for a rapid-deployment Ceasefire Support Service.
- Define core functions: verification, communications, mapping, and liaison support for ceasefire implementation.
- Present the proposal to the Secretary-General for administrative approval and GA briefing.
Deliverable: Official mandate and organizational framework for the UN Ceasefire Support Service (UNCSS).
Step 2 — Build the Ceasefire Expert Roster and Rapid Deployment Teams
Lead: UN Department of Operational Support (DOS)
Supporting: Major troop- and police-contributing countries (e.g., India, Ghana, Bangladesh), Switzerland, Ireland, and the African Union Peace Support Operations Division.
- Create a standing roster of military observers, mediation specialists, and technical experts for deployment within 72 hours.
- Sign standby agreements with Member States to second personnel and equipment.
- Develop a digital roster management system linked to DPPA’s crisis response platform.
Deliverable: Operational roster of certified ceasefire experts and first-response deployment capability.
Step 3 — Create the Ceasefire Support Trust Fund
Lead: UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF)
Supporting: Sweden, Norway, Germany, Japan, and Qatar as initial donor states; World Bank as financial advisor.
- Establish a dedicated pooled fund to finance immediate ceasefire support operations.
- Allow for contributions in cash, logistics, or technical services from Member States and regional organizations.
- Link funding disbursements to early-warning triggers and peacebuilding priorities.
Deliverable: Operational trust fund with transparent governance and rapid disbursement protocols.
Step 4 — Integrate Regional and Civil Society Partners
Lead: UN Regional Offices (UNOWAS, UNRCCA, UNESCAP, UNOAU)
Supporting: African Union, OSCE, ASEAN, and respected NGOs such as Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and Interpeace.
- Develop joint verification protocols with regional and sub-regional organizations.
- Engage local civil-society networks for monitoring, communications, and community liaison.
- Train regional peace envoys on use of UNCSS tools and digital ceasefire mapping systems.
Deliverable: Regional cooperation framework linking UNCSS with local and regional peace infrastructures.
Step 5 — Monitor, Evaluate, and Report Outcomes
Lead: UN Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS)
Supporting: DPPA Evaluation Unit, Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), and Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
- Develop a performance dashboard tracking ceasefire duration, civilian protection outcomes, and partner satisfaction.
- Publish annual “Global Ceasefire Effectiveness Report” to GA and Security Council.
Deliverable: Annual performance report demonstrating effectiveness and lessons learned of the UNCSS.
Coordination Logic
- Secretariat: Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), Ceasefire Operations Unit.
- Reporting line: to the Peacebuilding Commission and Security Council through the Secretary-General’s annual peace operations report.
- Civil-society engagement: Interpeace, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, and local ceasefire-monitoring coalitions.
Progress Tracker — Action 4 of 5 : Ceasefire Services — Making Peace Operational
⬜ Not Yet Initiated — Concept defined; proposal not yet submitted for UN administrative review.
⬜ Not Yet Initiated — No rosters or standby agreements established; framework pending.
⬜ Not Yet Initiated — Fund structure not yet proposed; donor engagement pending.
⬜ Not Yet Initiated — Regional coordination framework undeveloped; awaiting formal partnerships.
⬜ Not Yet Initiated — Monitoring indicators and reporting tools yet to be designed.
Status: Conceptual phase only — no activities initiated yet. Implementation partners and formal launch pending.
Last updated: November 2025.
