Timeline of United Nations peacekeeping missions
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. 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. 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.
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1940s
Start | End | Name | Acronym | Location | Purpose | Comment |
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1948 | Ongoing | UN Truce Supervision Organization | UNTSO | Israel | 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 | To monitor India-Pakistan ceasefire in the Kashmir conflict. | Authorized after the First Indo-Pakistani War. |
1950s
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
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 | 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. |
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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 | Supervise India-Pakistan ceasefire outside of Kashmir after the Second Indo-Pakistani War. | Ended March 1966 |
1970s
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 | 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
Start | End | Name | Acronym | Location | Purpose | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | 1990 | UN Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan | UNGOMAP | Afghanistan | Enforce Afghanistan and Pakistan from mutual non-interference. | Ended March 1990 |
1988 | 1991 | UN Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group | UNIIMOG | Iraq | 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
Start | End | Name | Acronym | Location | Purpose | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1991 | 2003 | UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission | UNIKOM | Kuwait | 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[1] | Croatia | 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[2]) | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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. |
- - not counted as separate missions by the UN DPKO, linked below
- - not counted as separate missions by the UN DPKO, linked below
2000s
Start | End | Name | Acronym | Location | Purpose | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | 2008 | UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea | UNMEE | Ethiopia | 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 | Established due to refugee crisis from the Darfur genocide in Sudan. | ended December 2010 due to opposition by Chadian government |
2010s
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
- League of Nations, predecessor of the United Nations
- History of United Nations peacekeeping
- List of UN peacekeeping missions
- List of countries where UN peacekeepers are currently deployed