Timeline of UN peacekeeping missions

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗
a person in a military uniform wearing a United Nations blue helmet
Canadian peacekeeper in 1976 wearing the distinctive UN blue helmet

The United Nations has authorized 72 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]

1940s

StartEndNameAcronym LocationPurposeComment
1948OngoingUN Truce Supervision OrganizationUNTSO 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.
1949OngoingUN Military Observer Group in India and PakistanUNMOGIP India

Pakistan

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

1950s

StartEndNameAcronym LocationPurposeComment
19561967UN Emergency Force IUNEF 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.
19581958UN Observation Group in LebanonUNOGIL Lebanon To prevent troops and weapons entering Lebanon during crisis. Ended December 1958

1960s

StartEndNameAcronym LocationPurposeComment
19601964UN Operation in the CongoONUC Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) To prevent foreign intervention in and preserve territory of the Congo during the Congo Crisis. Ended June 1964
19621963UN Security Force and UN Temporary Executive AuthorityUNSF / UNTEA West New Guinea Monitor ceasefire during transition of Western New Guinea from Dutch to Indonesian rule. Ended April 1963
19631964UN Yemen Observation MissionUNYOM North Yemen Supervise disengagement of Saudi Arabia and Egypt from the North Yemeni Civil War. Ended September 1964
1964OngoingUN Peacekeeping Force in CyprusUNFICYP Cyprus

Prevent conflict between Greek and Turkish Cypriots.

 
19651966Mission of the Representative of the Secretary-General in the Dominican RepublicDOMREP Dominican Republic Monitor situation caused by rival governments in Dominican Republic. Ended October 1966
19651966UN India-Pakistan Observation MissionUNIPOM India

Pakistan

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

1970s

StartEndNameAcronym LocationPurposeComment
19731979UN Emergency Force IIUNEF II Egypt Supervise withdrawal of forces from the Sinai Peninsula after Egypt, Syria and Israel fought in the Yom Kippur War. Ended July 1979
1974OngoingUN Disengagement Observer ForceUNDOF Golan Heights

(disputed between Israel and Syria)

Maintain ceasefire between Syria and Israel on the Golan Heights.  
1978OngoingUN Interim Force in LebanonUNIFIL 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

StartEndNameAcronym LocationPurposeComment
19881990UN Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and PakistanUNGOMAP Afghanistan Afghanistan

Pakistan

Enforce Afghanistan and Pakistan from mutual non-interference. Ended March 1990
19881991UN Iran-Iraq Military Observer GroupUNIIMOG Iraq

Iran

Supervise ceasefire after the Iran-Iraq War. Ended February 1991
19891991UN Angola Verification Mission IUNAVEM I Angola Supervise withdrawal of Cuban troops from the Angolan Civil War. Ended June 1991
19891990UN Transition Assistance GroupUNTAG South West Africa

( Namibia after 1990)

Supervise Namibia's elections and transition to independence from South Africa. Ended March 1990
19891992UN Observer Group in Central AmericaONUCA Nicaragua Monitor ceasefire in the Nicaraguan Civil War. Ended January 1992

1990s

StartEndNameAcronym LocationPurposeComment
19912003UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation MissionUNIKOM Kuwait

Iraq

Enforce Kuwait-Iraq border after Gulf War. Ended 2003
19911995UN Angola Verification Mission IIUNAVEM II Angola Enforce ceasefire in the Angolan Civil War. Ended February 1995
19911995UN Observer Mission in El SalvadorONUSAL El Salvador Enforce ceasefire in the Salvadoran Civil War. Ended April 1995
1991OngoingUN Mission for the Referendum in Western SaharaMINURSO Western Sahara

(independence disputed by Morocco)

Implement ceasefire and help promote referendum on area's future after the Western Sahara War.  
19911992UN Advance Mission in CambodiaUNAMIC Cambodia Prepare way for UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia after the Cambodian–Vietnamese War. Ended March 1992
19921995UN Protection ForceUNPROFOR and UNPREDEP[6] Croatia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Republic of Macedonia

Protect area of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Republic of Macedonia during the Yugoslav Wars. restructured December 1995
19921993UN Transitional Authority in CambodiaUNTAC Cambodia Assist reorganization of Cambodia. Ended September 1993
19921993UN Operation in Somalia IUNOSOM I Somalia Enforce ceasefire during the Somali Civil War, reorganized as Unified Task Force (UNITAF[7]) Replaced March 1993 by UNOSOM II
19921993UN Observer Mission to Verify the Referendum in EritreaUNOVER Ethiopia Monitor referendum for independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia. Ended April 1993
19921994UN Operation in MozambiqueONUMOZ Mozambique Monitor ceasefire in the Mozambican Civil War. Ended December 1994
19931995UN Operation in Somalia IIUNOSOM II Somalia Stabilize Somalia and assist humanitarian efforts during the Somali Civil War. Ended March 1995
19931994UN Observer Mission Uganda-RwandaUNOMUR Rwanda

Uganda

To enforce ceasefire between Rwanda and the rebel group based in Uganda during the Rwandan Civil War. Ended September 1994
19932009UN Observer Mission in GeorgiaUNOMIG 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
19931996UN Observer Mission in LiberiaUNOMIL Liberia Monitor ceasefire and elections after the First Liberian Civil War. Ended September 1997
19931996UN Mission in HaitiUNMIH Haiti Stabilize Haiti after coup overturned. Ended June 1996
19931996UN Assistance Mission for RwandaUNAMIR Rwanda Monitor ceasefire, and after the Rwandan Genocide to promote relief efforts. Ended March 1996
19941994UN Aouzou Strip Observer GroupUNASOG Chad Monitor Libya's withdrawal from disputed territory given by International Court of Justice to Chad. Ended June 1994
19942002UN Mission of Observers in TajikistanUNMOT Tajikistan Monitor ceasefire in the Tajikistani Civil War. Ended May 2000
19951997UN Angola Verification Mission IIIUNAVEM III Angola Monitor ceasefire and disarmament. Ended June 1997, but follow-up mission MONUA
19951996UN Confidence Restoration Operation in CroatiaUNCRO Croatia Attempts to implement ceasefire in the Croatian War. Ended January 1996
19951999UN Preventive Deployment ForceUNPREDEP Republic of Macedonia Replaced UNPROFOR in the Republic of Macedonia and monitored border with Albania. Ended February 1999
19952002UN Mission in Bosnia and HerzegovinaUNMIBH Bosnia and Herzegovina Monitor human rights, demining, relief after the Bosnian War. Ended 31 December 2002
19961998UN Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja, and Western SirmiumUNTAES Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia Supervises integration of region into Croatia. Ended January 1998
19962002UN Mission of Observers in PrevlakaUNMOP Croatia Monitor demilitarization of the Prevlaka peninsula, Croatia. Ended December 2002
19961997UN Support Mission in HaitiUNSMIH Haiti Modernize police and army of Haiti. Ended July 1997
19971997UN Verification Mission in GuatemalaMINUGUA Guatemala Monitor ceasefire in the Guatemalan Civil War. Ended May 1997
19971999UN Observer Mission in AngolaMONUA Angola Monitoring ceasefire and disarmament. Ended February 1999
19971997UN Transition Mission in HaitiUNTMIH Haiti Help stabilize Haiti. Ended November 1997
19972000UN Civilian Police Mission in HaitiMIPONUH Haiti Modernize Haiti's police forces. Ended March 2000
19981998UN Civilian Police Support GroupUNPSG Croatia Monitor Croatian police Ended October 1998
19982000UN Mission in the Central African RepublicMINURCA Central African Republic Maintaining security and stability in Central African Republic Ended February 2000
19981999UN Observer Mission in Sierra LeoneUNOMSIL Sierra Leone Monitor disarmament and demobilization in the Sierra Leone Civil War. Ended October 1999
1999OngoingUN Interim Administration Mission in KosovoUNMIK Kosovo

(later Kosovo, claimed by Serbia)

Exercise administrative authority, including administration of justice in Kosovo  
19992005UN Mission in Sierra LeoneUNAMSIL Sierra Leone Help stabilize and disarm Sierra Leone Ended December 2005
19991999UN Mission in East TimorUNAMET Indonesia

Indonesian Occupied East Timor

To oversee popular consultation on political relation to Indonesia Ended 1999, See UNTAET the follow-up mission.
19992002UN Transitional Administration in East TimorUNTAET East Timor

(later independent East Timor)

Transition East Timor to independence Ended May 2002. See UNMISET the follow-up mission.
19992010UN Organization Mission in Democratic Republic of the CongoMONUC Democratic Republic of the Congo Monitor ceasefire in Democratic Republic of the Congo Ended June 2010. See MONUSCO the follow-up mission.

2000s

StartEndNameAcronym LocationPurposeComment
20002008UN Mission in Ethiopia and EritreaUNMEE 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
20022005United Nations Mission of Support in East TimorUNMISET East Timor To ensure security and stabilise the nascent state during the post-independence period. Ended May 2005
20032018United Nations Mission in LiberiaUNMIL Liberia Oversee ceasefire and train national police after the Second Liberian Civil War.  
20042017United Nations Operation in Côte d'IvoireUNOCI Cote d'Ivoire Facilitate implementation of peace process after the First Ivorian Civil War  
20042017United Nations Stabilization Mission in HaitiMINUSTAH Haiti Return stability to Haiti Later Coordinated security response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake
20042006United Nations Operation in BurundiONUB Burundi To help implement the Arusha accords ended December 2006, replaced by BINUB
20052011United Nations Mission in the SudanUNMIS 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.
20062012United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-LesteUNMIT East TimorTo 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  
20072020United Nations African Union Mission in DarfurUNAMID SudanTo monitor arms trade and shipping, to cause and keep a ceasefire during the War in Darfur.
20072010United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and ChadMINURCAT 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

StartEndNameAcronym PurposeComment
2010OngoingUN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the CongoMONUSCO Democratic Republic of the Congo Monitor ceasefire in Democratic Republic of the Congo  
2011OngoingUN Interim Security Force for AbyeiUNISFA Abyei Area (disputed by Sudan and South Sudan)Monitor ceasefire in Abyei  
2011OngoingUN Mission in the Republic of South SudanUNMISS South SudanAssist the new state of South Sudan  
20122012UN Support Mission in SyriaUNSMIS SyriaMonitor the ceasefire agreement in the Syrian Civil War.  
20132023UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in MaliMINUSMA MaliStabilize the country after the 2012 Tuareg rebellion  
2014OngoingUN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African RepublicMINUSCA Central African RepublicProtect civilians during Central African Republic Civil War  
20172019UN Mission for Justice Support in HaitiMINUJUSTH HaitiAssist 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

References

  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