The Ceasefire Project seeks to develop a stronger understanding of the role that ceasefires play in the transition from war to peace. Ceasefires are a regular occurrence in armed conflict, yet we know surprisingly little about why or when they occur, or how they affect the course of war or likelihood of peace. This is particularly true for civil conflict, and conflict between non-state actors, that have been largely overlooked in most existing research.
We focus in particular on the following questions:
A key contribution of the project has been the creation of the ETH/PRIO Civil Conflict CeaseFire (CF) dataset. This includes information on all ceasefires during civil conflict between 1989 and 2021. This is the first globally comparative database of civil-war ceasefires which includes information on the full family of ceasefires, including unilateral, verbal, written and non-implemented ceasefires. It also includes information on the purpose, timing and type of ceasefire. The dataset is compatible with other conflict datasets, in particular the UCDP conflict database.
The dataset is the result of a collaboration between researchers from the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at ETH Zurich, the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), and Uppsala University. It benefits from generous funding from the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Swedish Research Council.
The Ceasefire Project generates research, learning and guidance materials to help mediators, policymakers and conflict parties make informed choices that increase the chances for lasting peace.
© 2025 Ceasefire Project.