A ceasefire agreement regulates the cessation of all military activity for a specified length of time in a specific area. It may be unilaterally declared or negotiated between the parties to a conflict. In the context of international armed conflict, it can also be endorsed by a Security Council resolution. Regardless of the legal status of a ceasefire resolution, in many contexts the term is applied to a more general mediation settlement that has the potential to include specific terms which legitimize external force to enforce a future ceasefire.
Ceasefire agreements can be negotiated between State and non-State actors in both international and non-international armed conflicts. They can be stand-alone, or part of a broader peace process that is intended to address the root causes of the conflict.
The most common elements of a ceasefire agreement can include: the return of hostages; the demobilization, disarmament and demilitarization of non-State forces; provision for a local civilian administration; the establishment of a national army (often by merging State and non-State armies); prosecution of war criminals; amnesties; and humanitarian assistance.
Other technical issues can also be addressed in a ceasefire agreement, including the need for precise language to describe what might constitute a breach and thus allow the opposing belligerent to denounce the ceasefire and resume hostilities. In addition, the use of buffer zones to separate troops can often work only if they are supervised by international peacekeeping forces, which can provide an additional safeguard against drastic “mistakes” as troops regroup.