Agreement on Ceasefire in Sierra Leone

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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.

Agreement document
SL_990518_Ceasefire Agreement.pdf | Download PDF

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