The University of EdinburghPeace Agreements DatabasePeaceRep

Agreement on Ceasefire in Sierra Leone

  • Country/entity

    Sierra Leone
  • Region

    Africa (excl MENA)
  • Agreement name

    Agreement on Ceasefire in Sierra Leone
  • Date

    18 May 1999
  • Agreement status

    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement

    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level

    Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Sierra Leone Civil War (1991 – 2002) )
  • Stage

    Ceasefire/related
  • Conflict nature

    Government
  • Peace process

    Sierra Leone peace process
  • Parties

    For the Government of Sierra Leone: Alhadji Dr. Ahmad Tejan KABBAH, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone; For the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone: Corporal Foday Saybana SANKOH, Leader of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF)
  • Third parties

    Witnesses: For the Government of Togo and Chairman of ECOWAS: Gnassingbe EYADEMA, President of the Togolese Republic; For the United Nations: Francis G. OKELO,Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sierra Leone; For the Organization of African Unity (OAU): Adwoa COLEMAN, Representative of the Organization of African Unity; Reverend Jesse JACKSON, United States Presidential Special Envoy for the Promotion of Democracy in Africa.
  • Description

    A short agreement providing for a ceasefire between the Government of Sierra Leone and the RUF in May 1999.


Groups

  • Children/youth

    No specific mention.

  • Disabled persons

    No specific mention.

  • Elderly/age

    No specific mention.

  • Migrant workers

    No specific mention.

  • Racial/ethnic/national group

    No specific mention.

  • Religious groups

    No specific mention.

  • Indigenous people

    No specific mention.

  • Other groups

    No specific mention.

  • Refugees/displaced persons

    No specific mention.

  • Social class

    No specific mention.


Gender

  • Women, girls and gender

    No specific mention.

  • Men and boys

    No specific mention.

  • LGBTI

    No specific mention.

  • Family

    No specific mention.


State definition

  • Nature of state (general)

    No specific mention.

  • State configuration

    No specific mention.

  • Self determination

    No specific mention.

  • Referendum

    No specific mention.

  • State symbols

    No specific mention.

  • Independence/secession

    No specific mention.

  • Accession/unification

    No specific mention.

  • Border delimitation

    No specific mention.

  • Cross-border provision

    No specific mention.


Governance

  • Political institutions (new or reformed)

    No specific mention.

  • Elections

    No specific mention.

  • Electoral commission

    No specific mention.

  • Political parties reform

    No specific mention.

  • Civil society
    Page 2, Para 4. Guarantee safe and unhindered access by humanitarian organizations to all
    people in need; establish safe corridors for the provision of food and medical supplies to ECOMOG soldiers behind RUF lines, and to RUF combatants behind ECOMOG lines;
  • Traditional/religious leaders

    No specific mention.

  • Public administration

    No specific mention.

  • Constitution

    No specific mention.


Power sharing

  • Political power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Territorial power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Economic power sharing

    No specific mention.

  • Military power sharing

    No specific mention.


Human rights and equality

  • Human rights/RoL general

    No specific mention.

  • Bill of rights/similar

    No specific mention.

  • Treaty incorporation

    No specific mention.

  • Civil and political rights

    No specific mention.

  • Socio-economic rights

    No specific mention.


Rights related issues

  • Citizenship

    No specific mention.

  • Democracy

    No specific mention.

  • Detention procedures

    No specific mention.

  • Media and communication

    No specific mention.

  • Mobility/access
    Page 2, 4. Guarantee safe and unhindered access by humanitarian organizations to all
    people in need; establish safe corridors for the provision of food and medical supplies to ECOMOG soldiers behind RUF lines, and to RUF combatants behind ECOMOG lines;
  • Protection measures

    No specific mention.

  • Other

    No specific mention.


Rights institutions

  • NHRI

    No specific mention.

  • Regional or international human rights institutions

    No specific mention.


Justice sector reform

  • Criminal justice and emergency law

    No specific mention.

  • State of emergency provisions

    No specific mention.

  • Judiciary and courts

    No specific mention.

  • Prisons and detention

    No specific mention.

  • Traditional Laws

    No specific mention.


Socio-economic reconstruction

  • Development or socio-economic reconstruction

    No specific mention.

  • National economic plan

    No specific mention.

  • Natural resources

    No specific mention.

  • International funds

    No specific mention.

  • Business

    No specific mention.

  • Taxation

    No specific mention.

  • Banks

    No specific mention.


Land, property and environment

  • Land reform/rights

    No specific mention.

  • Pastoralist/nomadism rights

    No specific mention.

  • Cultural heritage

    No specific mention.

  • Environment

    No specific mention.

  • Water or riparian rights or access

    No specific mention.


Security sector

  • Security Guarantees

    No specific mention.

  • Ceasefire
    Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
    Ceasefire is presumed to be permanent and commenced on 25 May 1999. The whole agreement provides for a ceasefire and its modalities.
  • Police

    No specific mention.

  • Armed forces

    No specific mention.

  • DDR

    No specific mention.

  • Intelligence services

    No specific mention.

  • Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces

    No specific mention.

  • Withdrawal of foreign forces

    No specific mention.

  • Corruption

    No specific mention.

  • Crime/organised crime

    No specific mention.

  • Drugs

    No specific mention.

  • Terrorism

    No specific mention.


Transitional justice

  • Transitional justice general

    No specific mention.

  • Amnesty/pardon

    No specific mention.

  • Courts

    No specific mention.

  • Mechanism

    No specific mention.

  • Prisoner release
    Page 2, 5. Immediate release of all prisoners of war and non-combatants;
  • Vetting

    No specific mention.

  • Victims

    No specific mention.

  • Missing persons

    No specific mention.

  • Reparations

    No specific mention.

  • Reconciliation

    No specific mention.


Implementation

  • UN signatory
    Witnessed for the United Nations by Francis G. OKELO Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sierra Leone.
  • Other international signatory
    Witnesses: For the Government of Togo and Chairman of ECOWAS: Gnassingbe EYADEMA, President of the Togolese Republic; For the Organization of African Unity (OAU): Adwoa COLEMAN, Representative of the Organization of African Unity; Reverend Jesse JACKSON, United States Presidential Special Envoy for the Promotion of Democracy in Africa.
  • Referendum for agreement

    No specific mention.

  • International mission/force/similar

    No specific mention.

  • Enforcement mechanism
    Page 2, 6. Request the United Nations, subject to the Security Council’s authorization, to deploy military observers as soon as possible to observe compliance by the Government forces (ECOMOG and Civil Defence Forces) and the RUF, including former AFRC forces, with this ceasefire agreement.
  • Related cases

    No specific mention.

  • Source
    UN Peacemaker: http://peacemaker.un.org/. Link to agreement: http://peacemaker.un.org/sites/peacemaker.un.org/files/SL_990518_CeasefireAgreementSierraLeone.pdf

Agreement on ceasefire in Sierra Leone

President Ahmed Tejan Kabbah and Reverend Jesse Jackson met on 18 May 1999 with Corporal Foday Saybana Sankoh, under the auspices of

President Gnassingbe Eyadema.

At that meeting, the question of the peace process for Sierra Leone was discussed.

The Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone (RUF/SL),

- Desirous to promote the ongoing dialogue process with a view to establishing durable peace and stability in Sierra Leone;

and

- Wishing to create an appropriate atmosphere conducive to the holding of peace talks in Lomé, which began with the RUF internal consultations to be followed by dialogue between the Government and RUF;

Have jointly decided to:

1. Agree to ceasefire as from 24 May 1999, the day that President Eyadema invited Foreign Ministers of ECOWAS to discuss problems pertaining to Sierra Leone.

It was further agreed that the dialogue between the Government of Sierra Leone and RUF would commence on 25 May 1999;

2. Maintain their present and respective positions in Sierra Leone as of 24 May 1999;

and refrain from any hostile or aggressive act which could

undermine the peace process;

3. Commit to start negotiations in good faith, involving all relevant parties in the discussions, not later than 25 May in Lomé;

4. Guarantee safe and unhindered access by humanitarian organizations to all people in need;

establish safe corridors for the provision of food and medical supplies to ECOMOG soldiers behind RUF lines, and to RUF combatants behind ECOMOG lines;

5. Immediate release of all prisoners of war and non-combatants;

6. Request the United Nations, subject to the Security Council’s authorization, to deploy military observers as soon as possible to observe

compliance by the Government forces (ECOMOG and Civil Defence Forces) and the RUF, including former AFRC forces, with this ceasefire agreement.

This agreement is without prejudice to any other agreement or additional protocols which may be discussed during the dialogue between the Government and RUF.

Signed in Lomé (Togo), 18 May 1999, in six (6) originals in English and French.

For the Government of Sierra Leone

Alhadji Dr. Ahmad Tejan KABBAH President of the Republic of Sierra Leone

For the Revolutionary United Front of Sierra Leone

Corporal Foday Saybana SANKOH Leader of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF)

Witnessed by:

For the Government of Togo and Current Chairman of ECOWAS

Gnassingbe EYADEMA President of the Togolese Republic

For the United Nations

Francis G. OKELO Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sierra Leone

For the Organization of African Unity (OAU) Adwoa COLEMAN Representative of the Organization of African Unity

United States Presidential Special Envoy for the Promotion of Democracy in Africa Reverend Jesse JACKSON