Mozambique

By the time it ended in 1992, Mozambique's 15-year civil war had exacted a terrible price. Economically paralyzed, the vast, drought-stricken country was rich only in enmity, landmines, and AK-47s. Into this misery was thrust a multifaceted UN mission, ONUMOZ, to manage the transition from military combat to electoral contest. Remarkably, when ONUMOZ departed two years later, that job was largely done.

This comprehensive account describes how ONUMOZ went about its tasks - assembling and demobilizing troops, providing humanitarian aid, demining, preparing for elections - and assesses how well each was accomplished and why.