Peace operations: From short‐term to long‐term commitment

Abstract

By developing a strategic approach to the implementation of peace accords in civil war, the United Nations can better the odds for ending a war and fostering development in the long run. Recent attempts at implementation have suffered from recurring difficulties: incomplete, vague and expedient agreements; lack of coordination between mediators and those who have to implement an agreement; lack of co‐ordination between implementing agencies; lack of sustained attention by the international community; incomplete fulfilment of agreements by warring parties; and the presence of ‘spoilers’ who seek to destroy any incipient peace. To overcome these difficulties, the UN must encourage the parties to choose political, cultural, social and economic security‐building measures during the negotiation phase and systematically apply confidence‐building measures to the military components of implementation. This demands a reconsideration of peace making in a civil war to include a long‐term international commitment to the development of war‐torn societies.