United Nations Mission in Liberia

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United Nations Mission in Liberia

Abbreviation	UNMIL
Formation	19 September 2003
Type	Peacekeeping Mission
Legal status	Mandate is completed on 30.03.2018
Headquarters	Monrovia, Liberia
Head	Farid Zarif
Parent organization	United Nations Security Council
Website	unmil.unmissions.org

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The United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) was a United Nations peacekeeping operation established in September 2003 to monitor a ceasefire agreement in Liberia following the resignation of President Charles Taylor and the conclusion of the Second Liberian Civil War (1999–2003).^[1] At its peak it consisted of up to 15,000 UN military personnel and 1,115 police officers, along with civilian political advisors and aid workers.

UNMIL superseded the United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL), which had been established in 1993 to support the peacekeeping efforts of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during the First Liberian Civil War (1989–1996).^[2] Two years of relative peace ended with another civil war, triggered by conflict between rebel groups and Taylor's administration. Large scale fighting ended following the Accra Peace Agreement in August 2003, and UNMIL was subsequently formed to implement the terms of the agreement and help establish a new transitional government.

Through a unanimous resolution of the UN Security Council (UNSC), UNMIL was initially given a one-year mandate that included providing security, protecting UN personnel and facilities, supporting humanitarian assistance, promoting security reform, and implementing the peace process, which included elections in 2005. The mission would be regularly extended for another fifteen years, during which it successfully facilitated two free and fair elections, maintained security, and helped rebuild infrastructure and political institutions, often in close cooperation with local civil society groups.^[3]

In light of the improving political and security situation, in 2015, the UNSC resolved to gradually wind down UNMIL in preparation for the Liberian government to take full responsibility for peace and security.^[4] By June 2016, UNMIL's mandate was officially transferred to local authorities, with the force reduced to 1,240 U.N. military and 606 police personnel only in case of emergency;^[5] the peacekeeping mission formally withdrew on 30 March 2018.^[6] By that time, a total of 126,000 military, 16,000 police and 23,000 civilian staff had been deployed as part of the operation.^[7]

UNMIL is largely considered to have been effective, credited with restoring long-lasting democracy, political stability, and rule of law in Liberia.^[8] Though marred by some controversies, including instances of abuse and transactional sex engaged by some peacekeepers,^[8] the mission's overall result has been described as one of the U.N.'s biggest achievements.^[9][10]