International Day of Peace: Intelligence as a Tool for Peace

On 21 September, the world marked the International Day of Peace. Established by the United Nations in 1981, it was first observed in 1982. In 2001, the UN General Assembly set 21 September as the permanent date and called for a 24-hour period of ceasefire and non-violence.

Among the many approaches that support peace, intelligence has a specific and valuable role. Intelligence, when it is used ethically and professionally, is one tool that can support peace efforts. By providing clear information in uncertain situations, intelligence can reduce the risk of war, strengthen diplomacy, and help protect people.

Early Warning and Prevention

Conflicts rarely appear without warning. They are often preceded by political tension, social unrest, or environmental stress. Intelligence that detects these signals provides decision-makers with time to prepare. Without this early picture, leaders are often left to react after violence has already broken out.

The value of early warning lies in how it increases the options available. Instead of choosing between intervention or inaction once fighting begins, governments and organisations can take steps that ease pressure before it reaches breaking point. This may include supporting dialogue between rival groups, strengthening essential services to reduce hardship, or demonstrating a visible security presence that reassures communities. These actions do not guarantee peace, but they make it more likely that conflict can be slowed or avoided altogether.

Reducing Misunderstanding and Miscalculation

History shows that wars can begin through misjudgement. States may overestimate an adversary’s strength, underestimate their resolve, or misinterpret their intentions. In moments of crisis, rumours and assumptions often carry as much weight as facts. These conditions create space for fear-driven decisions that can escalate tensions unnecessarily.

Intelligence reduces this risk by testing assumptions against evidence and providing a clearer picture of reality. Reliable analysis helps leaders distinguish between threats that are genuine and those that are imagined. With this understanding, they are less likely to overreact or take steps that provoke conflict. By replacing guesswork with grounded information, intelligence narrows the margin for error that can turn suspicion into violence.

Supporting Diplomacy and Mediation

Diplomacy often struggles when negotiators lack reliable knowledge about the positions and pressures facing each side. Without this understanding, attempts at dialogue risk being shallow or unrealistic, and agreements are less likely to hold. Uncertainty can also make negotiators cautious, reducing their willingness to commit to meaningful concessions.

Intelligence helps fill these gaps by mapping shared interests, identifying points of leverage, and clarifying the risks of continued conflict. This gives mediators a stronger basis to propose solutions that all parties can accept. By grounding talks in accurate information, intelligence increases the chance that agreements are practical, fair, and capable of lasting beyond the negotiating table.

Protecting Civilians and Human Rights

Civilians often bear the greatest cost of conflict. They face displacement, loss of livelihood, and the risk of violence. In many cases, their suffering is made worse by a lack of reliable information about where threats are emerging or whether ceasefire agreements are being respected. Without oversight, violations can go unreported and unpunished.

Intelligence can play a protective role by tracking potential threats to communities, monitoring compliance with peace agreements, and documenting abuses when they occur. When handled responsibly, this information helps humanitarian agencies and peacekeepers act more effectively and holds perpetrators accountable. In this way, intelligence supports not only immediate protection but also longer-term efforts to uphold human rights.

Countering Harmful Narratives

Modern conflicts are rarely driven by force alone. Disinformation, propaganda, and extremist messaging can deepen divisions and fuel hostility. These narratives often spread quickly, creating fear and mistrust within communities. If left unchallenged, they can harden attitudes and make reconciliation more difficult.

Intelligence helps counter these risks by identifying false or manipulative claims, analysing how and why they spread, and informing strategies to address them. This can mean exposing untrue stories, supporting accurate public communication, or advising on policies that reduce the social grievances exploited by extremists. By limiting the reach and impact of harmful narratives, intelligence contributes to a more informed public and creates conditions in which peace is easier to sustain.

Supporting Humanitarian Operations

Humanitarian organisations often work in dangerous and unpredictable environments. Aid convoys may face threats from armed groups, natural hazards, or collapsing infrastructure. Without reliable information, these organisations risk delays, wasted resources, or harm to their staff and the people they are trying to help.

Intelligence provides the situational awareness needed to operate safely and effectively. It can identify secure routes, highlight potential risks such as landmines or flooding, and map where needs are greatest. This allows aid agencies to deliver assistance more quickly and with greater confidence. By making humanitarian work safer and more efficient, intelligence directly supports efforts to relieve suffering in conflict-affected areas.

Building Trust and Cooperation

Peace cannot be built by one nation or organisation alone. Efforts are stronger when partners share information, but mistrust often makes this difficult. Without cooperation, gaps in knowledge can undermine peacekeeping missions, disaster responses, and regional security initiatives.

Intelligence sharing helps close these gaps and builds confidence between partners. When countries, agencies, or communities exchange accurate and timely information, they show a willingness to work together. This not only improves the effectiveness of joint operations but also reduces suspicion. Over time, the act of sharing intelligence becomes part of the peacebuilding process itself, creating networks of trust that extend beyond the immediate crisis.

Ethical Practice

Intelligence has the potential to protect but also to harm. If used without care, it can invade privacy, fuel repression, or deepen mistrust. In conflict settings, these risks are magnified, as communities may already feel vulnerable or under threat. Without clear standards, intelligence can be misapplied in ways that undermine peace rather than support it.

Ethical practice helps guard against these outcomes. When intelligence is guided by principles such as respect, integrity, accountability, empowerment, and collaboration, it is more likely to serve the public good. Analysts and decision-makers who weigh both benefits and risks can ensure that intelligence contributes to peace responsibly. Upholding ethics is not an added extra but a necessary condition for intelligence to be a genuine tool for peace.

Conclusion

The International Day of Peace is a reminder that peace does not arrive on its own. Conflicts continue to emerge around the world, often at great cost to communities, and efforts to prevent or resolve them are never simple. Without deliberate action, mistrust, fear, and misinformation can quickly take hold.

Intelligence, when applied with care and ethical purpose, is one of the tools that can help. By providing early warning, reducing misunderstanding, supporting diplomacy, protecting civilians, and guiding humanitarian efforts, intelligence reduces the drivers of conflict and opens space for peace. Used responsibly, it is not a weapon of division but a means of building understanding and security.

Publication Statement

AI tools were used to assist with structuring and editing for clarity. All views expressed are those of the author(s) and are offered to support open, respectful discussion. The Institute for Intelligence Professionalisation values independent and alternative perspectives, provided safety, privacy, and dignity are upheld.