0.1 INTRODUCTION
Economic
community of West –African States (ECOWAS) is a sub-regional group of fifteen
(15) member states. The treaty establishing ECOWAS was signed in Lagos, May 28th
1975. The union is run in three (3) major languages of Portuguese, English
and French and have its major objective/mission on promotion of Economic
Integration. However, the rationale and the need for this paper is the security
challenges faced by ECOWAS in actualizing its Economic integration objective.
Thus, this paper is relevant as it will attempt to appraise the endeavors of
ECOWAS towards achieving collective security in the sub-region vi-Ã -vis the
inseparable relationship between security and development in the contemporary
world (be it Economic, Political or Social Development).
0.2 AIM
OF THE PAPER/STUDY
Basically,
this paper will make an assessment of various security framework and
enforcement intervention undertaken by ECOWAS in the sub-region with a view to
identifying challenges and highlighting recommendation cum implementation
strategies.
0.3 SCOPE
OF STUDY
The
paper in achieving the above aim will be limited to
·
Definition of
Terms
·
Brief Historical
Background of Subject of Study (ECOWAS)
·
ECOWAS Security
Frame-work
·
ECOMOG
Enforcement Intervention (specific attention on Liberian Civil War 1989 – 1986)
·
Appraisal /
Conclusion
·
Recommendation
·
Implementation
Strategy
0.4 DEFINITION
OF TERMS
COLLECTIVE: Done or shared by all members of a group of people
[Oxford Advance Learners Dictionary].
SECURITY: “Security means
development…” [Security in the Contemporary World: Robert S. Mc Namara]. It can
be defined as the degree of protection to safeguard a nation, or persons
against danger, damage, loss and crime [Wikipanion].
APPRAISAL: A judgment of the value, performance or nature of
somebody/something [Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary].
MECHANISM: Method or system for achieving something.
PROTOCOL: An original version of agreement, especially a Treaty
between countries: [Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary].
DECLARATION: An official or
formal statement. [Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary].
0.5 BRIEF HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT
(ECOWAS)
ECOWAS
is a sub-regional organization of fifteen (15) West African countries that
includes: Benin Republic, Burkina-Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea
Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra-Leone and
Togo. [Wikipedia.org]. These countries entered a Treaty in Lagos on 28th
May, 1975 having the promotion of Economic Integration in the sub-region as
major objective. ECOWAS Treaty unlike the Arab League Treaty on Joint Defence
and Economic co-operation adopted June 17, 1950 lacked collective defence as a
pre-requisite to economic integration at inception. Thus, ECOWAS realization
that Economic Development / integration could only be pursued in an environment
of peace and security was an after-thought. Moreso, it was an after thought
that its involvement in collective security (i.e. African Solution to African
Problem) of member states is essential for a conducive environment to implement
economic programes. This is an essential
point in this paper as it proceeds to examine ECOWAS peace and security
framework).
0.6 ECOWAS FRAME-WORK ON PEACE AND SECURITY
This
section examines different frame work which are rules emplace by ECOWAS as a
guide to actualize collective security in the sub-region. Most prominent are
highlighted here-under.
i. PROTOCOL ON NON-AGRESSION (PNA):
Signed in Lagos, April 22nd, 1978 to refrain member states from the
threat and use of force or aggression against one another.
ii. PROTOCOL ON MUTUAL ASSISTANCE ON DEFENCE
(PMAD): Signed in Sierra-Leone, 29th May, 1981 to commit
ECOWAS member states to collective defence treaty by accepting that armed
threat or aggression against one [either internal-intra or external –inter]
constitutes a threat or aggression against the community and would provide
collective, mutual aid and assistance for defence.
iii. CONVENTIONS ON MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IN
CRIMINAL MATTERS; and Extradiction. Signed in Darka/Abuja on 29th
July 1992 and Aug 6th 1954 respectively.
iv. Declaration
on Moratorium on importation, Exportation and Manufacture of Light Weapons:
Extended for three (3) years in Abuja, July 9th, 2001.
v. Declaration
on Political Principles (1991) Commits Member States to uphold Human Rights,
Democracy and Rule of Law.
vi. Protocol
on Democracy and Good Governance to address root causes of conflicts.
vii. Mechanism
for Conflict Prevention, Management and
Resolution, Peace and Security to address issues such as free, fair elections,
civilian control of the military and unconstitutional changes of government
[PROFILE ECOWAS: Compiled by I.S.S, Abuja i - vii].
However,
the efficiency of the above frame work is an issue for further analysis.
0.7 ECOMOG ENFORCEMENT INTERVENTION
Apparently,
on realization that the (protocols) frame work were not enough to ensure peace
and security, ECOWAS monitoring group (ECOMOG) formation came as a child of
necessity. The establishment of a five (5) member Standing Mediation Committee
(SMC) led to the formation of ECOMOG on July 6th, 1990 in the event
of the Liberian civil war, ECOMOG was tasked to restore peace in Liberia
through:
i. Diplomacy: Signing of Treaties by factions;
Charles Taylor and
Samuel
DOE;
ii. Military
action: Use of necessary force to
safeguard civilians/enforce ceasefire order.
iii. Assist
in formation of an interim government and subsequently aid in conduct of
election within 12 months.
Consequently,
the ECOMOG troops was developed to Monrovia on August, 1990 and it was adjudged
to have recorded success as peace was restored (1996) and election held in
1997. [ECOWAS IN LIBERIA: Success or Failure, Thursday 2nd
July, 2009].
Below are other Peace-Enforcement
Mission of ECOMOG;
(1997)
Sierra-Leone to stop the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebellion and restored
President Ahmed Tijan KABBAH earlier forced into exile by military coup.
Guinea Bissau – (1998) to end the civil
war.
Liberia
(2003) ECOWAS military intervention in Liberia (ECOMIL) to halt rebel
occupation of Monrovia.
Between
2002 and 2010. ECOMOG sustained peace and protected the institutions of state
in cote divorce until the post election violence that empted as a result of
Laurent GBAGBO’s refusal to conceed defeat in run off election to Alassane
QUATTRA, the present ECOWAS chairman having being resorted after military
intervention.
08 APPRAISAL / CONCLUSION
Obviously
from the foregoing deductions could be made that formation of the framework was
not accompanied with an enforcement unit and that gap ECOMOG filled. Moreover,
it was the formation of ECOMG. This development is considered reactive. Nevertheless,
ECOMOG may not be viewed as having achieved the desired collective security
ECOWAS ought to ensure in the sub-region. ECOMOG is identified to be faced by
the following challenges/shortcomings.
i. Claim of Hegemonic Role of Nigeria:
eg Charles TAYLOR’S National patriotic front of Liberia (NPEL) saw ECOMOG as enemy
and Nigerian foreign policy and faced ECOMOG with all resistance. This creates
lack of confidence and trust needed to achieve peace.
ii. Colonial Divide Legacy: This is
replicated in the long standard schism between Anglophone member states and
francophone member state. This sis evident in reluctance exhibited by
francophone to contribute to ECONMOG troops durng Liberia intervention.
iii. Inadequate Funding/ Logistics:
This is a set back in ECOMOG peace keeping mission. This has resulted to
massive looting by ECOMOG soldiers to amass wealth thereby making hem lose
credibility.
iv. Human Right Violations: Issues
of violation of human rights, accusations of sex-abuse/ harassment such as
raping of female refuges by ECOMOG solders.
v. Manipulation of Peace Efforts:
This is done by political interest and state actors both internal and external.
They sponsor violence, procure mercenaries, use of civil defence militias,
promote trade in small arms etc.
vi. Seizure of Strategic Natural Resources:
usually done to finance wars by procuring sophisticated arsenal to out do
ECOMOG troops.
vii. Lack of Neutrality: Especially
on the part of ECOMOG soldiers e.g accused of campaigning for Taylor during the
election. Though it was considered as a step to forestall peace. Moreover,
there is the issue of absence of viii. “An effective humanitarian policy
coherent political plan and well thought out peace-building and exit strategy”
(Kabia J. M. reference to Joseph Bangura in his article humanitarian
intervention and conflict resolution in west Africa)
Conclusively
an appraisal of ECOWAS as a tool for collective security. It could be inferred
that ECOWAS has achieved a developed, holistic and compressive frame work in
the area of peace and security. It has achieved appreciable enforcement unit
through ECOMOG, but render more of reactive security in the sub-region.
0.9 RECOMMENDATION
Given
the above conclusion that ECOWAS has been a reactive in terms of security. It
is recommended that there is need to establish an ECOWAS intelligence unit. This
is expedient considering the proactive security achieved via intelligence
gathering/counter-intelligence operation. It is also a common believe among
writers that the degree of peace in European union is attributed to the
proactive intelligence unit the international POLICY (INTERPOL). The
establishment of an ECOWAS intelligence unit will help policy-makers in the
sub-region with accurate and timely data for economic and development policy
formulation. It will also aid in tackling threats of political, ethno-
religious insurgencies, porous boarders aiding free-movement of mercenaries,
small arms, drug and child trafficking/child solders and other security
challenges arising from ECOWAS protocol on free movement of citizens.
0.10 IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES
i. Establishment
through an act of the ECOWAS parliament an intelligence unit, independent from
any member state and statutorily empowered to investigate breach of
sub-regional security and arrest suspect in incision with national intelligence
agencies.
ii. The
intelligence unit will serve as centre for strategic monitoring of potential
threats. Collection, analysis and dissemination of actionable intelligence on
sub-regional security threats.
iii. Develop
and update strategic intelligence reports to guide heads of states and
government, medication and security council (MSC), Defence and security
commission on magnitude of threats to sub-regional security and development.
Iv. Strengthening
ECOMOG operations through provision of intelligence and monitoring of its
activities.
v. Signing
of memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the sub-regional intelligence unit
and that of national units in areas of strategic security liaison. This liaison
is targeted at.
a. establishing
secured network of communication to facilitate and ease exchange of operational
strategy.
b. sharing
of crime intelligence on strategic sub-regional threats/tans national cum
transborder crimes such as terrorism money laundering. Aims/drug/child
trafficking. Maritime piracy, cyber crime etc.
c. Information
exchange and analysis synergy and
d. security
of major international, regional and sub-regional public events organized
within member state.
0.11 REFERENCES
A.
S Honby Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary Sixth Edition Oxford University Press 2000. Bensah
Emmanuel K. West Africa Rising. In Regional Instability March 10th 2012. Ghana Reporters (Google search
accessed 22nd December
2012).
Profile ECOWAS: compiled by Institute of Security studies (ISS)
Abuja (www.nico@iss.org.za accessed on 26th December, 2012)
ECOWAS IN LIBERIA: Success or failure Thursday 2 July 2009 (Google search
accessed on 22nd December 2012)
Kabia
J. M. Humanitarian Intervention and Conflict Resolution in West Africa from
ECOMOG to ECOMIL. Farnhrn surrey: Ashgate 2009;
REFERENCE
Robert
S. McNAMARA security in the contemporary world: American society of Editors of
Newspapers, Montreal Canada, 1966;
www.m.wikipedia.com
(accessed on 26th December 2012)
w.w.w.m.wikipanion.com
(accessed on 22nd December, 2012)