One of the most poignant lessons learned from peacebuilding endeavours in recent years is that, while the international community must immediately reconstruct and recreate legitimate national-level administration in countries emerging from civil war, without simultaneous initiatives to develop legitimate local-level governance sustainable peace will remain elusive.

This Policy Paper summarizes the findings of a three-year International IDEA project on the United Nations and democracy that has focused on the international organization’s role in the democratization of Kosovo, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste—each of which has been under UN transitional administration following armed conflict.