Timeline of United Nations peacekeeping missions

Summary

The United Nations has authorized 71 peacekeeping operations as of April 2018. These do not include interventions authorized by the UN like the Korean War and the Gulf War.[1] The 1990s saw the most UN peacekeeping operations to date. Peacekeeping operations are overseen by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) and share some common characteristics, namely the inclusion of a military or police component, often with an authorization for use of force under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations.[2] Peacekeeping operations are distinct from special political missions (SPMs), which are overseen by the Department of Political Affairs (DPA). SPMs are not included in the table below.[3][4][5]

a person in a military uniform wearing a United Nations blue helmet
Canadian peacekeeper in 1976 wearing the distinctive UN blue helmet

1940s edit

Start End Name Acronym Location Purpose Comment
1948 Ongoing UN Truce Supervision Organization UNTSO   Israel

  Syria

  Lebanon

  Jordan

  Egypt

To monitor ceasefire in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Authorized in June 1948 after the First Arab-Israeli War. The first UN peacekeeping mission.
1949 Ongoing UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan UNMOGIP   India

  Pakistan

To monitor India-Pakistan ceasefire in the Kashmir conflict. Authorized after the First Indo-Pakistani War.

1950s edit

Start End Name Acronym Location Purpose Comment
1956 1967 UN Emergency Force I UNEF I   Egypt To supervise withdrawal of Egyptian and Israeli troops from Suez Crisis. First armed peacekeepers. Ended June 1967 during the buildup to the Six-Day War.
1958 1958 UN Observation Group in Lebanon UNOGIL   Lebanon To prevent troops and weapons entering Lebanon during crisis. Ended December 1958

1960s edit

Start End Name Acronym Location Purpose Comment
1960 1964 UN Operation in the Congo ONUC   Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) To prevent foreign intervention in and preserve territory of the Congo during the Congo Crisis. Ended June 1964
1962 1963 UN Security Force and UN Temporary Executive Authority UNSF / UNTEA   Netherlands New Guinea

  Indonesia

Monitor ceasefire during transition of West Irian from Dutch to Indonesian rule. Ended April 1963
1963 1964 UN Yemen Observation Mission UNYOM   North Yemen Supervise disengagement of Saudi Arabia and Egypt from the North Yemeni Civil War. Ended September 1964
1964 Ongoing UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus UNFICYP   Cyprus

Prevent conflict between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

 
1965 1966 Mission of the Representative of the Secretary-General in the Dominican Republic DOMREP   Dominican Republic Monitor situation caused by rival governments in Dominican Republic. Ended October 1966
1965 1966 UN India-Pakistan Observation Mission UNIPOM   India

  Pakistan

Supervise India-Pakistan ceasefire outside of Kashmir after the Second Indo-Pakistani War. Ended March 1966

1970s edit

Start End Name Acronym Location Purpose Comment
1973 1979 UN Emergency Force II UNEF II   Egypt Supervise withdrawal of forces from the Sinai Peninsula after Egypt, Syria and Israel fought in the Yom Kippur War. Ended July 1979
1974 Ongoing UN Disengagement Observer Force UNDOF Golan Heights

(disputed between   Israel and   Syria)

Maintain ceasefire between Syria and Israel on the Golan Heights.  
1978 Ongoing UN Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL   Lebanon Supervise Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. Keep the international peace and security, and help the Lebanese Government restore its effective authority in the area.

1980s edit

Start End Name Acronym Location Purpose Comment
1988 1990 UN Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan UNGOMAP   Afghanistan

  Pakistan

Enforce Afghanistan and Pakistan from mutual non-interference. Ended March 1990
1988 1991 UN Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group UNIIMOG   Iraq

  Iran

Supervise ceasefire after the Iran-Iraq War. Ended February 1991
1989 1991 UN Angola Verification Mission I UNAVEM I   Angola Supervise withdrawal of Cuban troops from the Angolan Civil War. Ended June 1991
1989 1990 UN Transition Assistance Group UNTAG   South West Africa

(  Namibia after 1990)

Supervise Namibia's elections and transition to independence from South Africa. Ended March 1990
1989 1992 UN Observer Group in Central America ONUCA   Nicaragua Monitor ceasefire in the Nicaraguan Civil War. Ended January 1992

1990s edit

Start End Name Acronym Location Purpose Comment
1991 2003 UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission UNIKOM   Kuwait

  Iraq

Enforce Kuwait-Iraq border after Gulf War. Ended 2003
1991 1995 UN Angola Verification Mission II UNAVEM II   Angola Enforce ceasefire in the Angolan Civil War. Ended February 1995
1991 1995 UN Observer Mission in El Salvador ONUSAL   El Salvador Enforce ceasefire in the Salvadoran Civil War. Ended April 1995
1991 Ongoing UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara MINURSO   Western Sahara

(independence disputed by   Morocco)

Implement ceasefire and help promote referendum on area's future after the Western Sahara War.  
1991 1992 UN Advance Mission in Cambodia UNAMIC   Cambodia Prepare way for UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia after the Cambodian–Vietnamese War. Ended March 1992
1992 1995 UN Protection Force UNPROFOR and UNPREDEP[6]   Croatia

  Bosnia and Herzegovina

  Macedonia

Protect area of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Republic of Macedonia during the Yugoslav Wars. restructured December 1995
1992 1993 UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia UNTAC   Cambodia Assist reorganization of Cambodia. Ended September 1993
1992 1993 UN Operation in Somalia I UNOSOM I   Somalia Enforce ceasefire during the Somali Civil War, reorganized as Unified Task Force (UNITAF[7]) Replaced March 1993 by UNOSOM II
1992 1993 UN Observer Mission to Verify the Referendum in Eritrea UNOVER   Ethiopia Monitor referendum for independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia. Ended April 1993
1992 1994 UN Operation in Mozambique ONUMOZ   Mozambique Monitor ceasefire in the Mozambican Civil War. Ended December 1994
1993 1995 UN Operation in Somalia II UNOSOM II   Somalia Stabilize Somalia and assist humanitarian efforts during the Somali Civil War. Ended March 1995
1993 1994 UN Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda UNOMUR   Rwanda

  Uganda

To enforce ceasefire between Rwanda and the rebel group based in Uganda during the Rwandan Civil War. Ended September 1994
1993 2009 UN Observer Mission in Georgia UNOMIG   Georgia

  Abkhazia (independence from Georgia not recognized by international community)

Enforce ceasefire between Georgia and Abkhaz separatists after the Abkhaz War. Russia vetoed extension in June 2009
1993 1996 UN Observer Mission in Liberia UNOMIL   Liberia Monitor ceasefire and elections after the First Liberian Civil War. Ended September 1997
1993 1996 UN Mission in Haiti UNMIH   Haiti Stabilize Haiti after coup overturned. Ended June 1996
1993 1996 UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda UNAMIR   Rwanda Monitor ceasefire, and after the Rwandan Genocide to promote relief efforts. Ended March 1996
1994 1994 UN Aouzou Strip Observer Group UNASOG   Chad Monitor Libya's withdrawal from disputed territory given by International Court of Justice to Chad. Ended June 1994
1994 2002 UN Mission of Observers in Tajikistan UNMOT   Tajikistan Monitor ceasefire in the Tajikistani Civil War. Ended May 2000
1995 1997 UN Angola Verification Mission III UNAVEM III   Angola Monitor ceasefire and disarmament. Ended June 1997, but follow-up mission MONUA
1995 1996 UN Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia UNCRO   Croatia Attempts to implement ceasefire in the Croatian War. Ended January 1996
1995 1999 UN Preventive Deployment Force UNPREDEP   Macedonia Replaced UNPROFOR in Macedonia and monitored border with Albania. Ended February 1999
1995 2002 UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina UNMIBH   Bosnia and Herzegovina Monitor human rights, demining, relief after the Bosnian War. Ended 31 December 2002
1996 1998 UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja, and Western Sirmium UNTAES   Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia Supervises integration of region into Croatia. Ended January 1998
1996 2002 UN Mission of Observers in Prevlaka UNMOP   Croatia Monitor demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula, Croatia. Ended December 2002
1996 1997 UN Support Mission in Haiti UNSMIH   Haiti Modernize police and army of Haiti. Ended July 1997
1997 1997 UN Verification Mission in Guatemala MINUGUA   Guatemala Monitor ceasefire in the Guatemalan Civil War. Ended May 1997
1997 1999 UN Observer Mission in Angola MONUA   Angola Monitoring ceasefire and disarmament. Ended February 1999
1997 1997 UN Transition Mission in Haiti UNTMIH   Haiti Help stabilize Haiti. Ended November 1997
1997 2000 UN Civilian Police Mission in Haiti MIPONUH   Haiti Modernize Haiti's police forces. Ended March 2000
1998 1998 UN Civilian Police Support Group UNPSG   Croatia Monitor Croatian police Ended October 1998
1998 2000 UN Mission in the Central African Republic MINURCA   Central African Republic Maintaining security and stability in Central African Republic Ended February 2000
1998 1999 UN Observer Mission in Sierra Leone UNOMSIL   Sierra Leone Monitor disarmament and demobilization in the Sierra Leone Civil War. Ended October 1999
1999 Ongoing UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo UNMIK   Kosovo

(later   Kosovo, claimed by   Serbia)

Exercise administrative authority, including administration of justice in Kosovo  
1999 2005 UN Mission in Sierra Leone UNAMSIL   Sierra Leone Help stabilize and disarm Sierra Leone Ended December 2005
1999 1999 UN Mission in East Timor UNAMET   Indonesia

  Indonesian Occupied East Timor

To oversee popular consultation on political relation to Indonesia Ended 1999, See UNTAET the follow-up mission.
1999 2002 UN Transitional Administration in East Timor UNTAET   East Timor

(later independent   East Timor)

Transition East Timor to independence Ended May 2002. See UNMISET the follow-up mission.
1999 2010 UN Organization Mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo MONUC   Democratic Republic of the Congo Monitor ceasefire in Democratic Republic of the Congo Ended June 2010. See MONUSCO the follow-up mission.

2000s edit

Start End Name Acronym Location Purpose Comment
2000 2008 UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea UNMEE   Ethiopia

  Eritrea

Enforce ceasefire after the Eritrean–Ethiopian War. Ended July 2008 after both Eritrea (forced out UN troops) and Ethiopia (refused to accept ICJ ruling on the border) refused to cooperate
2002 2005 United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor UNMISET   East Timor To ensure security and stabilise the nascent state during the post-independence period. Ended May 2005
2003 2018 United Nations Mission in Liberia UNMIL   Liberia Oversee ceasefire and train national police after the Second Liberian Civil War.  
2004 2017 United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire UNOCI   Cote d'Ivoire Facilitate implementation of peace process after the First Ivorian Civil War  
2004 2017 United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti MINUSTAH   Haiti Return stability to Haiti Later Coordinated security response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake
2004 2006 United Nations Operation in Burundi ONUB   Burundi To help implement the Arusha accords ended December 2006, replaced by BINUB
2005 2011 United Nations Mission in the Sudan UNMIS   Sudan To support implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement after the Second Sudanese Civil War, perform certain functions relating to humanitarian assistance, and protection and promotion of human rights ended in July 2011, succeeded by UNMISS.
2006 2012 United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste UNMIT   East Timor To support the Government in consolidating stability, enhancing a culture of democratic governance, and facilitating political dialogue among Timorese stakeholders, in their efforts to bring about a process of national reconciliation and to foster social cohesion  
2007 Ongoing United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur UNAMID   Sudan To monitor arms trade and shipping, to cause and keep a ceasefire during the War in Darfur.  
2007 2010 United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad MINURCAT   Central African Republic

  Chad

Established due to refugee crisis from the Darfur genocide in Sudan. ended December 2010 due to opposition by Chadian government

2010s edit

Start End Name Acronym Purpose Comment
2010 Ongoing UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo MONUSCO   Democratic Republic of the Congo Monitor ceasefire in Democratic Republic of the Congo  
2011 Ongoing UN Interim Security Force for Abyei UNISFA Abyei (disputed by   Sudan and   South Sudan) Monitor ceasefire in Abyei  
2011 Ongoing UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan UNMISS   South Sudan Assist the new state of South Sudan  
2012 2012 UN Support Mission in Syria UNSMIS   Syria Monitor the ceasefire agreement in the Syrian Civil War.  
2017 2019 UN Mission for Justice Support in Haiti MINUJUSTH   Haiti Assist the Government to further develop the Haitian National Police (HNP); to strengthen Haiti's rule of law institutions, including the justice and prisons; and to promote and protect human rights in Haiti  

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Historical Timeline of UN Peacekeeping". United Nations Peacekeeping. Dec 31, 2020. Retrieved Mar 21, 2024.
  2. ^ "Our history". United Nations Peacekeeping. Oct 20, 2016. Retrieved Mar 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "Peacekeeping operations timeline". United Nations Peacekeeping. Retrieved Mar 21, 2024.
  4. ^ "List of past peacekeeping operations". United Nations Peacekeeping. Retrieved Mar 21, 2024.
  5. ^ "Past peace operations". United Nations Peacekeeping. Retrieved Mar 21, 2024.
  6. ^ - not counted as separate missions by the UN DPKO, linked below
  7. ^ - not counted as separate missions by the UN DPKO, linked below

External links edit

  • UN peacekeeping website