UN Resolutions and Peace Implementation

• In Event: Poster Session: Conflict Processes I

Abstract

How can the United Nations support peace implementation efforts following civil conflict? Prior research shows that third parties can use a variety of conflict management approaches to prevent civil war recurrence and that peace agreement implementation improves peace duration and quality. However, little research connects these two aspects of post-war peace. We argue that United Nations Security Council resolutions are an important tool that can be quickly used to support the peace. These resolutions can shame parties who do not comply with the agreement, deploy and coordinate resources needed for implementation, and empower local actors in post-war settings. Using implementation data for 34 Comprehensive Peace Agreements (CPAs) since 1989, as well as new data on the targets and language of UNSC resolutions, we show that language in a resolution that names and shames actors, connects stakeholders or marshals resources is associated with better compliance with a CPA.

Authors

• Matthew Hauenstein, University of Notre Dame

• Madhav Joshi, University of Notre Dame