UN defines preventive action as measures taken to prevent disputes in order to deescalate

or limit the conflicts. Concept has been invented by former Secretary-General Dag
Hammarskjld in 1961. Preventive diplomacy is the most cost-effective action comparing to
other measures against conflicts. There are several preventive actions that can be employed
such as early warning mechanisms, fact-finding missions, early deployments, humanitarian
deployments, confidence building measures, use of good offices, use of regional offices etc.
Two of the briefly described as follows:
Use of United Nations Regional Offices: UN deploys missions in order to prevent conflicts
before they have been escalated to the several regions such as Central Asia and West Africa
in order to improve capacities of the states for conflict prevention, take confidence building
measures and deal with all issues that threatens peace and stability in the regions.
Preventive Deployment: Preventive military deployment can be done in order to deter
escalation of the conflict and calm communities in the area by monitoring law and order. It
was used in 1992 at FYROM with 700 troops.
SOURCES
An Agenda for Peace: Preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peace-keeping, Report of the
Secretary-General, 1992, http://www.unrol.org/files/A_47_277.pdf.
The Concept of Preventive Diplomacy and Its Application by the United Nations in Central
Asia, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) Head of the
United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA),
http://unrcca.unmissions.org/Portals/unrcca/Articles%20and%20Publications/SHRS_024_02
_07_Jenca.pdf.
Preventi ve Di pl omacy: Del i veri ng Resul ts, Report of the Secretary-General , 2011,
http://www.un.org/wcm/webdav/si te/undpa/shared/undpa/pdf/SG%20Report%20on%20
Preventi ve%20Di pl omacy.pdf.

Vari ous sources on Preventi ve Di pl omacy:
http://www.colorado.edu/conflict/peace/treatment/prevent.htm