Special political missions of the United Nations…quiet diplomacy that prevents conflicts before they break out

Perhaps among the most notable successes of the United Nations are those crises that did not even become headlines in the media.

In various parts of the world, special political missions work out of the limelight to reduce tensions, mediate between conflicting parties, and support fragile political transitions, relying on the tools of negotiation, mediation, and diplomacy.

Unlike the peacekeeping missions that are most present on the scene, political missions do not have armored vehicles or armed forces.

During the launch of the first comprehensive review in the history of the United Nations of these missions, Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, described their record as “sometimes modest and sometimes historic,” stressing that it demonstrated “the well-established fact that diplomacy pays off.” She added that this message gains exceptional importance in the current international circumstances.

This review covers the period from 1948 to 2025, explaining how the political role of the United Nations has developed in parallel with the transformations that the world has witnessed.

From Palestine to the present day

The first special political mission was established in May 1948, shortly after the founding of the United Nations.

Swedish diplomat Count Folke Bernadotte was appointed United Nations mediator in Palestine, the first time the organization sent a special envoy to help settle an armed conflict.

Today, special political missions carry out a wide range of tasks, and are civilian missions tasked with the following:

🔹Preventing conflicts.

🔹Supporting peace operations.

🔹Contributing to building sustainable peace.

Some of these missions facilitate peace negotiations, while others monitor ceasefire agreements, support border demarcation, investigate serious violations, or support political reform processes.

Rosemary DeCarlo believes that the most prominent feature of these missions lies in their diversity.

She said: “It has taken multiple forms, including envoys of the Secretary-General, fact-finding and investigative missions, regional offices, and expert groups that assist the Security Council in monitoring the implementation of sanctions regimes, as well as missions that accompany the complex political transitional stages.”

added: “Flexibility has always been its strength; the same instrument that helps achieve a ceasefire can also contribute to demarcating borders or supporting the dismantling of a chemical weapons programme. Few multilateral instruments are so adaptable.”

Helping countries gain their independence

One of the most prominent early examples of the success of these missions is the role played by the United Nations in the process of Libya’s independence.

In the late 1940s, Libya, which was subject to Italian colonialism between 1911 and 1942, and before that was part of the Ottoman Empire, was divided and administered according to different administrative systems.

A United Nations commission helped heal political divisions, draft a constitution, form an interim government, establish a unified financial system, and train administrative personnel. Just two years later, Libya became the first country to gain its independence through a United Nations-sponsored process.

Similar missions also contributed to supporting decolonization paths in other regions, as the United Nations supervised the organization of general referendums in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Togoland, conducted popular consultations in Bahrain, and helped the newly independent countries build their national institutions.

Diplomacy in the time of the Cold War

During the Cold War, superpower competition often hampered the Security Council’s ability to act, leading the United Nations to rely increasingly on representatives and special envoys of the Secretary-General.

In the 1980s, the Personal Representative of the Secretary-General led years of negotiations on Afghanistan, culminating in the signing of the Geneva Accords in 1988.

In approximately the same period, another special representative contributed to the continuation of negotiations between Iran and Iraq.

DeCarlo believes that this historical experience carries an important message for the present, as she said: “Geopolitical division is no excuse for inaction.”Pointing out that special political missions continued their work throughout the years of the Cold War, and were nevertheless able to achieve important achievements.

New challenges after the Cold War

The end of the bipolar system unleashed latent tensions, which was reflected in a significant increase in the number of special political missions.

Since the 1990s, its scope of tasks has expanded to include helping countries organize elections, draft new constitutions, reform state institutions, and rebuild confidence after civil wars.

One of the most notable successes achieved in this context is the experience of Tajikistan, where a United Nations political mission helped implement the 1997 peace agreement and contributed to the country’s transition from civil war to peace.

United Nations political missions also played important roles in El Salvador, Guatemala, Burundi, Somalia, Nepal, Angola and Haiti, among other countries, while at the same time expert groups were established to monitor compliance with the sanctions imposed by the Security Council.

Haiti and today’s fragile political transformations

Haiti represents a model for the evolution of special political missions.

Unlike missions established to implement peace agreements, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) works to promote comprehensive political dialogue, support preparations for holding elections after years of absence of national voting, and coordinate international efforts in the face of deteriorating security conditions and fragility of institutions.

Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of the Office, said that the success of the mission depends on a key element: trust.

He added: “There is confidence in the United Nations, and there is confidence in the ability of special political missions to achieve results.” He stressed that this trust represents an asset that should be preserved and strengthened.

Away from the spotlight

By the end of 2025, the number of United Nations special political missions has reached forty operating around the world.

Today, its focus is increasingly on specific political tasks, including conflict prevention, mediation, regional diplomacy, and supporting peace processes tailored to the specificities of each context.

The work of these missions often remains invisible in nature, relying on quiet diplomacy, covert communications, and sustained engagement with governments, parties to conflict, regional organizations, and civil society organizations.

Shamala Kandiah Thompson, of the independent Security Council Report Foundation, said that these missions “It has quietly become an indispensable tool in preventing conflicts and promoting political engagement.” She added that, although they are less visible than peacekeeping operations, they are “no less important.”

At the conclusion of the review, DiCarlo emphasized that this release not only documents the past, but also reminds of what can be achieved in the future.

She said: “Even in the most difficult circumstances, dialogue can open doors, patience can build trust, and diplomacy can change the course of history.”