The United Nations established Minurso in 1991 to monitor a ceasefire in Western Sahara and organize a referendum on Western Sahara's self-determination following fighting that left at least 9,000 people dead

Efforts by international actors to prevent armed conflict from starting, contain it once underway, and support post-conflict stabilization. Encompasses military deployments, ceasefire monitoring, civilian protection, and political mediation — a central function of multilateral security architecture.