United Nations Role in Conflict Resolution Process: Case Study in Sierra Leone 1991-2002

The phenomenon of international conflict that occurred after the Cold War opens the United Nations' opportunity to play a more significant role in maintaining international peace and security. UN peacekeeping operations are one form of response to the challenges that arise at this time. This operation is a multidimensional operation that includes peacemaking, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding activities. The complexity of the conflict in Sierra Leone, West Africa, in the early 90s was caused by poor governance and illegal exploitation of diamonds, resulting in large numbers of civilian casualties and various other problems, such as rising poverty and unemployment increasing numbers of refugees. Given the Sierra Leonean government’s powerlessness in resolving the conflict, the UN, about international organizations, intervened in restoring and achieving peace. In this article, the author tries to analyze the role of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone to resolve Sierra Leone’s internal conflicts in 1994-2005, with activities as a mediator for the warring parties and sending peacekeeping forces in the country. This paper is based on the author’s experience as a Military Observer at Unamsil and literature studies. The U.N./Unamsil played a significant role in resolving the conflict there. This needs to be known and informed to the general public and the military to understand the United Nations’ role better.