Ceasefires and Peace Processes: Lessons for Policy and Practice

Ceasefires play an important role in all peace processes, yet we still understand surprisingly little about when and why parties choose to pause violence, and how this links to the broader political process. Ceasefires vary widely in their timing, form, and ambition. Some are fragile, short-lived pauses. Others fundamentally shape the political landscape. But how do ceasefires interact with efforts to negotiate peace? And what determines whether they help or hinder progress?

This panel explores these questions by drawing on a unique collaboration between scholars and mediation practitioners. Through comparative analysis of several intrastate conflicts, from El Salvador, Colombia, and Sudan—the panel examines how ceasefire processes and political negotiations relate, reinforce, or obstruct one another. It considers how context, military, political, and international, conditions the choice, content, and consequences of ceasefire arrangements.

Panellists will discuss the strategic dilemmas faced by mediators and conflict parties alike:

• When should a ceasefire come before, during, or after political negotiations?
• How do technical design elements—such as verification, sequencing, and inclusion—shape compliance and credibility?

The discussion will be grounded in both empirical evidence and practical experience, offering concrete lessons for those supporting peace processes in increasingly complex and fragmented conflict environments.

This panel also marks the official launch of the new volume, Ceasefires: Stopping the Violence and Negotiating Peace (Georgetown University Press, 2025), the most comprehensive comparative study of intrastate ceasefires to date, and a new video series on ceasefires and the security transition.