Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations

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Our Mission

By helping the U.S. Government better anticipate, prevent, and respond to conflict, the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) keeps America stronger, safer, and more prosperous. Conflict threatens U.S. strength and safety by increasing the risk of terrorism, trafficking, and smuggling. Conflict also impacts U.S. prosperity by limiting the market for U.S. products and services and threatening supply chains and access to critical minerals. CSO provides surge capabilities to negotiate ends to costly wars, prevent new destabilizing crises, and secure U.S. economic interests in strategic locations.

Tools and Capabilities

Negotiations Support Unit

CSO houses the Department’s Negotiations Support Unit, which advises U.S. diplomats and other officials on resolving some of the most intractable international disputes. Our experts support every stage of the negotiation process and advise on both the process and substance of peace talks.

Peace Agreement Implementation

After a peace agreement is signed, what comes next? CSO has programs to help monitor and support the implementation of peace agreements. This work helps prevent backsliding into conflict.

Data Analytics

CSO’s use of unclassified technology and data tracks global conflict trends to inform U.S. strategies, policies, and programs on conflict prevention and stabilization. In 2019, CSO launched the Instability Monitoring and Analysis Platform, which offers geospatial conflict analysis, negotiations modeling, violence and atrocity forecasting, and conflict trend assessments for personnel across the U.S. Government.

Conflict Observatories

Through Conflict Observatories, CSO funds independent research and documentation of human rights abuses, war crimes, and other atrocities. The Conflict Observatories use open-source information and data such as satellite imagery and social media. This documentation can be used for accountability efforts, including potential civil and criminal legal processes.

Armed Actor Mitigation

CSO provides analysis, policy recommendations, and programming to address the destabilizing impacts of armed actors. This work includes armed actor mapping, promoting defections from armed groups, and supporting broader Department efforts on security sector governance/reform activities. We also lead programs preparing for disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration.

Strategic Gaming

CSO hosts tabletop exercises and red teams to help inform decisions. This allows U.S. government decision makers to explore options for response to issues like political instability and strategic competition, including with foreign partners.

Stabilization Advisors

CSO deploys stabilization advisors to embassies and military combatant commands around the world to provide on-the-ground conflict expertise and increase civil-military coordination.

The United States has strong national security and economic interests in reducing levels of violence and promoting stability in areas affected by armed conflict.
Global Fragility Act of 2019

Key Legislation

In 2019, President Trump signed into law the Global Fragility Act (GFA), which led to the establishment of the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability in 2020. The goal of the GFA is to prevent crisis and conflict before they happen. By using the GFA to help prevent conflict before it starts, we can save American lives and taxpayer dollars by avoiding the need for costly humanitarian and military assistance.