The United Nations is a global organisation that was created in 1945 in the aftermath of World War II. Its aim was to help prevent future wars and encourage countries to solve problems through peaceful means – by discussion and cooperation. Currently there are 193 member states that work together to try and keep peace and solve major world problems.
The United Nations (UN) has a number of ways that it can help to resolve conflict between nations peacefully — some of these are outlined below.
| Peacekeeping missions | Deploys peacekeeping forces to maintain ceasefires, protect civilians and monitor peace agreements. Troops are neutral and act with the consent of conflicting parties. |
| Mediation and diplomacy | UN officials mediate negotiations between countries or groups to resolve disputes. Example: UN mediation in Cyprus conflict. |
| Sanctions | Imposes economic or political penalties (eg trade bans) to pressure groups or countries into peaceful actions. |
| Humanitarian aid | Provides food, shelter, medical care and support for displaced people during and after conflict. |
| Promoting human rights and international law | Encourages respect for human rights to prevent causes of conflict. Can refer serious human rights violations to the International Criminal Court (ICC). |
| Supporting elections and governance | Helps organise free and fair elections in post-conflict countries to promote stability and democracy. |
