17. June 2022

ICT4Peace is pleased to note Special Advisor Dr Sanjana Hattotuwa’s contributions to this important new UNIDIR report. The report can be found here.

Executive summary 

Ceasefires play an important role in the prevention of further conflict and armed violence. They are a crucial component of the broader conflict-prevention toolkit and are a first step towards a peace agreement. Ceasefires with a monitoring and verification arrangement aim to build trust and collaboration between the conflict parties and avoid prohibited behaviours from taking place or recurring. They are more robust and longer lasting than similar arrangements that are not monitored. 

While ceasefire monitoring and verification is usually conducted by in-person monitors, this may not always be possible due to non-permissive environments. In such instances, technology can help overcome these challenges, as well as extend the range of monitoring and the pace of data synthesis. 

This report identifies 18 technologies that can be categorised as aiding with either data acquisition, data analysis or communications for remote ceasefire monitoring or verification. The term “technology” encompasses tools (both hardware and software) as well as approaches (i.e., ways in which technology can be used), to showcase a range of options drawn from different domains, including but not limited to ceasefire monitoring and verification, peacekeeping or humanitarian missions, environmental monitoring, and use by state security forces. The report maps these technologies against a set of ceasefire activities, which illustrate areas commonly subject to monitoring or verification.