Are the Coronavirus Ceasefires Working?

On 23 March, UN Secretary General António Guterres called for a global ceasefire to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The appeal quickly gathered widespread support. Armed groups and governments in over 14 countries have initiated ceasefires in response to the call. This includes Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria, three countries that have recently experienced some of the world’s bloodiest conflicts. Have these ceasefires affected the level of violence? In this policy brief, we examine recent developments in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan, and the Philippines. Using current data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) project, we investigate whether the ceasefires are indeed leading to a reduction in violence.