ABSTRACT
The world today is crisis ridden as a
result of economic recession, social problems that include ethnic hostilities,
religious intolerance etc. it is a result of this changing world order, warfare
has become sophisticated. To effectively combat this situation, regional and
subregional military cooperation are instituted to conduct peace-keeping
operations in line with international, regional and sub-regional groupings. Nigeria, being
one of the countries in West African sub-region, has and is still using her military force to
co-operate with other West African countries in order to maintain peace and
orderliness in the sub-regional and even outside the African continent. In this
study, the researcher focused on the problem of peace-keeping in West Africa, using
Nigeria
and ECOWAS as a case study.
The study is divided into four
Chapters, Chapter one contains the introduction, statement of the problem,
justification of the study, methodology as well as aims and objectives of
ECOWAS. It also talked about the Africa and West African security scene in the
international environment, the Nigeria
peace keeping role in Africa, Chapter Two
discussed different forms of conflicts between opposing forces, theories of
conflict and so on.
In chapter three, Pace Keeping activities,
Nigeria and the ECOWAS
peace-keeping operation in Liberia
and Sierra Leonean were examined. In Chapter Four, the study was summarized,
concluded and recommendations made.
TABLE
OF CONTENT
PAGES
Cover
Page i
Certification
ii
Dedication
iii
Acknowledgement
iv
Abstract
v
Table
of Content vi
CHAPTER
ONE
1.1 Introduction
1
1.2 Nigeria and
ECOWAS: Background Information 5
1.3 Justification
of Study 8
1.4 Methodology 9
1.5 Aims
and Objectives of ECOWAS 9
1.6 The
Africa and West African Security Scene in the
International
Environment 12
1.7 The
Nigeria Peacekeeping Role in
Africa 14
Reference
and End Notes 17
CHAPTER TWO
2.1 Introduction
19
2.2 Issue
Field 27
2.3 Theories
of conflict 28
References
and End Notes 31
CHAPTER THREE
Peace-Keeping Activities-Period 1990-2000
3.1 Introduction
33
3.2 Nigeria’s Peace Keeping Mission in Chad 35
3.3 Nigeria and the
ECOWAS Peace-Keeping Operation
In
Nigeria 40
3.4 Antecedent
to the Sierra Leone
Crisis 43
3.5 The
Deployment of ECOMOG to Sierra
Leone for Peace-keeping47
References
and Notes 55
CHAPTER FOUR
4.1 Summary
and Conclusion 56
4.2 ECOWAS
Limited Capacity for Peace-Keeping 57
4.3 Analysis
of the Impact of Peace-Keeping on Nigeria’s
Economy 64
4.4
Recommendation
on How To-Enhance Nigeria’s Foreign
Policy and Peace-Keeping Initiatives.
4.4 Conclusion
70
Bibliography 72
CHAPTER
ONE
1.1
INTRODUCTION
The idea of peacekeeping has its origin
from the provisions of chapter VI of the charter of the United Nations (UN)
which gave the UN a leeway to create modalities for an environment that is conducive
for international peace. The necessity for pacific settlement of disputes by
conflicting parties through reconciliation, arbitration or other peaceful means
of their choice is contained in article 33(1) of the charter. The objective of
peace-Keeping was to create a conducive milieu in which the dispute can he
negotiated since it is assumed that conciliation would be difficult without the
cessation of hostilities.
A peacekeeping force is therefore
designed to difuse tension, stabilize the conflict situation enough to enhance
peaceful settlement by the feuding parties and enable the dispute to be moved
from the battle field to the conference table.
Alan James defined the term as follows:
"a
peace-keeping body is a traditional looking military force, composed of a number
of battalions and the authority of a commander. The battalions will have been
detached from or supplied by various national armies, and the commander is
appointed by, and be responsible to, the international authority which has
arranged the operation".
It is evident that peace-keeping is
traditionally conducted under the auspices of an international authority, often
by the UN. However, the thawing of super power relations, has led to disruptions
of society's established order which in turn has led to increase in armed
conflict world over with the UN unable to meet the increase in request for the
deployment of peace - keeping forces to perform a wide range of tasks many of
which differ radically from the traditional concept of peace keeping.
The inability of the UN to meet this
function has led to such responsibility being shared by various other regional
and sub - regional organizations such as ECOWAS and other multilateral
international groupings such as the coalition of forces that fought the Gulf
War. Others are the Organization of American States, the Arab League, as well
as the AU. These, have at different times in the past sent troops into conflict
areas to aid the peaceful settlement of disputes in their respective regions.
The conflicts occurring within the
African region have not attracted quick international responses equal to the
attention received in other parts of the world because Africa
it appears, has declined in importance to the powers that be. For example, the
conflicts in Somalia, Sudan and Liberia claimed thousands of lives,
caused great damage yet the UN failed to respond promptly. The UN only
responded in the case of Somalia
after repeated accusation of its neglect of Africa.
ECOWAS was initially conceived of as an
organization for the integration of the economies of states in the West African
sub-region designed to promote the harmonious development of the economics of
member states which is to be achieved through the economic cooperation of the
states.
Shortly after the treaty establishing
ECOWAS was signed in 1975, the solidarity of the member states to the objective
of the organization became threatened arising from disputes between states and
sub-national groups within states. These conflicts are many and varied. For
instance, a group of mercenaries arrived Cotonou,
the Republic of Benin
in 1977 and attempted to over throw the government, there is Togolese
territorial claim to the Volta. region of Ghana, causing incessant dispute between Togo and Ghana,
there was the territorial dispute between Mali
and Burkina Faso which
degenerated into a full scale war between them in 1955, Liberia and Cote d’ivoire have had occasional fierce
boundary disputes, there are also armed incursions between Mauritania and Senegal over accusations that the
nationals of the countries were being singled out for attacks by the other.
There is the boundary dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon
over the Bakassi Peninsula, the latter is not a member of
ECOWAS.
The wave of demands for democratization
and true popular participation has spread across the subcontinent pre-empting
some government actors to seek and pursue democratic programs designed to
provide adequate and effective management of the process in order to avoid any
serious disruptions of social and political order. Unfortunately though, some
governments have forcefully resisted the demand for change, leading to
heightened tension and crisis. It is believed that the sub-region will witness
a much higher level of crisis arising from the destabilization of the internal
security of many member states unless definite steps are taken to stem the
tide.
Although ECOWAS was primarily designed
to integrate the economies of the member nations through the creation of a
common market and uniform economic policies, the growing security issues and
its disruptive impact on meaningful economic progress has constituted a major
impediment. This situation has necessitated serious deliberations by member
states of issues relating to their mutual defense.
Liberia provided an opportunity for ECOWAS to
test run the concept of using a multilateral force to facilitate the peace
process in a crisis situation. Thus, at their 13th summit meeting held
in Banjul 6th
July, 1990), the Heads of state of ECOWAS established a standing committee to
mediate the Liberian crisis.
Following the repeated appeals to all
warring factions to cease fire and despite the mediation committee proposed an
ECOWAS , Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) with troops to be contributed by Nigeria, Ghana,
Guinea, Gambia, Sierra
Leone and Togo
the latter declined to contribute its troop at the last minute.
Essentially, ECOMOG was established as
a peace -keeping force and this study will seek to know to what extent it
realized this objective both in Liberia
and Sierra Leone and the
role of Nigeria
as a leader within the sub-region.
1.2
NIGERIA
AND ECOWAS: BACKGROUND INFORMATION
To properly appreciate the prospects
and problems of peace keeping within the ECOWAS, it may be instructive to start
with noting some of the exciting and challenging contrasts in the 16 member
nations that form the ECOWAS: namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The
Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger,
Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. For instance, the Republic of Cape
Verde consists of ten islands and five inlets right in the Atlantic Ocean and
about 640 kilometers Northwest of Senegal; whereas Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali
are entirely land-locked member nations.
In land mass, measured in square
kilometers, Cape Verde and The
Gambia have a modest 4,033
and 11, 295 respectively, whereas Mali
and Niger
boast of 1,240,192 and 1,267,000 respectively.
Again in terms of population, Cape Verde and The Gambia have 402,000 and
1,205,000 respectively, whereas Ghana
and Nigeria
lay claim to about 17,459,350 and 130,159,800 respectively.
As for borders, the smiling coast of
the Gambia is entirely land bordered
by Senegal.
Whereas, Burkina Faso and Guinea
are each bordered by six other ECOWAS nations.
Vegetation-wise, Nigeria, Ghana,
Benin e.t.c have heavy equatorial
rain forests, whereas Niger,
Mali
and Burkina Faso Suffer from poor rainfall and desert. encroachment or wastes.
Equally challenging is the matter of
official languages. Portuguese is used in Guinea
- Bissau and Cape Verde. English is used in the
five Anglophone countries of Gambia,
Ghana, Liberia, Sierra
Leone and Nigeria.
The other nine Francophone countries of Benin,
Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea,
Mali, Mauritania, Niger,
Senegal and Togo, use the
French language.
For currencies, you have Escudo (Cape
Verde), Peso (Guinea Bissau), Dalasi (Gambia), Cedi (Ghana), Guinea Franc (Guinea),
Liberian Dollar (Liberia), Ougiuiya (Mauritania), Naira (Nigeria), Leone
(Sierra Leone), and CFA France for Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali,
Niger and Senegal.
With an area of approximately 6,138,228
square kilometers and an estimated population of 239,017,850, ECOWAS is not
merely desirable but absolutely a formidable force in Africa
and beyond Nigeria
easily stands out as a giant in the sub-region not only for the reason of its
size and population as shown in the indices above but also because of her
natural resources. Nigeria
is rich in oil mineral, which gives her a leverage over other large economies
with little or no extractive resources other than agricultural produce.
Countries in this category are Cape Verde,
Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mali,
Niger, Burkina Faso and Mauritania
The problems and prospects of peace
keeping within ECOWAS must be seen not in isolation but in their global context
that is to say, as man's desire to arrange for his future, in a situation of a
co-mingling of humanity in all its diversity, each participating in the search
for solutions to problems that, while affecting their members with a particular
intimacy, are yet global, being inextricably, problems of the world.
1.3 JUSTIFICATION OF STUDY
This study seeks to critically analyze
the factors that contribute to political upheavals as well as other issues that
undermine the internal security of West Africa using Chad,
Liberia and Sierra Leone
as paradigms. This is done in order to forestall future occurrence and to
guarantee the attainment of prosperous economic development. within the zone.
Furthermore, it will examine Nigeria's
role in peace keeping or conflict management within the region and the progress
achieved. In order to enable her chart, a course for a more viral foreign policy
initiative within the sub-region.
The intractable conflicts within and
between West African states and else where in Africa
have diverted from the developmental needs of the various states to the management
of crisis and tension, human misery and militarism within the continent. This
study shall attempt to examine the basic issues that confront the West Africa sub -region in conflict management.
The project will also examine the
thrust of Nigeria
foreign policy and the ECOMOG efforts at restoring peace and security to the region
and proffer suggestions on how to make ECOMOG more creditable with a view to
restoring peace and stability in the sub-region.
1.4.
METHODOLOGY
The research methodology will make use
of both primary arid secondary materials such as Newspaper clippings relevant
to the research topic. Relevant textbooks on Nigeria's peace keeping and
conflict management in the sub- region, current journals, and relevant seminar
papers and where possible, interviews with experts in the field to enrich the
project.
1.5 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF ECOWAS
ECOWAS was created by the Treaty of The
Economic Community of West African States in 1975, signed in Lagos, Nigeria
on May 28, 1975 by heads of states and Governments of fifteen West African
Nations. The treaty came into force in June
1975, after ratification by seven
states. The ultimate objective of ECOWAS as affirmed in the preamble of the
treaty is inter alia.
To promote accelerated and sustained
economic development of their states and the creation of a homogeneous society,
leading to the unity of the countries of West Africa
by the elimination of all types of obstacles to the free movement of goods,
capital and persons.
The aim of the community as stated in
Article 2 of the charter are:
To promote co-operation and development in
all fields of industry, transport, telecommunication, energy, agriculture, natural
resources, commerce ... for the purposes of raising the standard of living of
its people, of increasing and maintaining economic stability, of fostering
closer relation among its members and of contributing to the progress and
development of the African continent.
These objectives of the community are
to be realized in stages thus:
a) The elimination between the member states
of custom duties and other equivalent charges having same effect on the importation
and exportation of goods.
b). The abolition of quantitative and
administrative restrictions on trade among member states.
c) The establishment of a common customs tariff
and a common commercial policy towards third world countries.
d) The abolition as between the member
states of the obstacles to the free movement of persons, services and capital.
e) The harmonization of the agricultural
policies and the promotion of common projects in the member states, notably in
the fields of marketing, research, and agro industrial enterprises.
f) The implementation of schemes for the,
joint development of transport, communication energy and other infrastructural
facilities as well as the evolution of a common policy in these fields.
g) The harmonization of the economic; and
industrial policies of the member states and the elimination of disparities in
the level of development of member states.
h) The harmonization required for the
proper functioning of the community, of the monetary policies of the member
states.
i) The establishment of a fund for
co-operation and development, and
j) Such other activities calculated to
further the aims of the community as the member states may from time to time undertake
in common.
These are no doubt high ambitions, and
indeed noble goals. Their message is of particular intimate poignancy in these
troubled times of senseless wars and civil strives caused by the greed,
intransigence and fool hardiness of power hungry men and women, who give not a
damn for fairness to all and the rule of law except that it suits them.
Experts agree that ECOWAS is an
endeavor to give effect to nation building within the concept of development
regionalism. This is a postulate that assumes that if one accepts that most of the
world's underdeveloped countries cannot develop by their rational efforts
alone, then the best option available to them maybe joint policies of economic
cooperation, co-ordination and integration designed to accelerate their overall
rate of economic development. Some feel that the vital role of increased
economic co-operation amongst developing countries as a whole is premised on
their need to rely on their own resources by expanding the flows of finance,
trade technology and skills amongst themselves. And that the strength that
developing countries can gain by utilizing some of their collective resources will
enhance their ability to influence global economic management and also mitigate
the dependency relationship that imperial rule (colonial powers) built into
their relationship with developing Countries.
1.6 THE
AFRICA .AND WEST AFRICAN SECURITY SCENE IN THE
INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
The international environment, has
produced dramatic changes precipitated by the collapse of the Soviet
Union. It led to the end of Cold War, the formation of economic
union, an era of mutual distrust and farewell to mutually assured destruction.
The event also paved way for the emergence of a unipolar power, the ascendance
of United States as a sole power in the international system. There was also
de-escalation of military confrontation, arms control and settlement of
disputes through dialogue. As an example, the Palestine
signed a Peace Accord in May 1994 with Israel. This allowed for general
administration of Gaza and Jericho to the Palestinians. The changes in
the international system have also produced change in the African security
scene. The 350 years of white minority rule in South Africa that posed a danger to
African security ended. There was an installation of black majority rule in South Africa.
On boarder outlook, many of the
conflicts that threatened the political instability of African states in 70s
and 80s were likened to the Cold War. The Angolan war was an extract of Cold
War, likewise Mozambique
crisis. However, after the Cold War, RENAMO rebels reached a peace accord with Mozambique.
This led to peaceful elections and establishment of a democratic government
then. The Ethiopia
crises saw a change of government and a referendum under the United Nations for
Eritrean independence. The Somali crisis, Rwanda
and Liberia
imbroglio later came to put peace in African continent asunder.
There was political instability in Mali, Ghana,
Guinea, Senegal and Nigeria. While there was an
increase in rapprochement among the state actors in the international scene,
conflicts and insecurity in West Africa are on
the increase. This was reflected in the presence of the United Nations
peacemaking and peacekeeping operations in Sierra Leone when ECOMOG pulled
out. The initiatives undertaken by the Nigerian government to protect the
security of West Africa Sub-region in 1991 was a new dimension. Nigeria
spearheaded the formation of ECOMOG in 1990s to prevent political instability
within the region. Under the leadership of General lbrahim Babangida, ECOMOG as
a military force arm of ECOWAS government, came into being. Let us retrospect
into Nigeria
peacekeeping efforts in African before the advent of ECOMOG
1.7 THE NIGERIA
PEACEKEEPING ROLE IN AFRICA
From time immemorial, Nigeria has been in active
peacekeeping and a peace-making partaker under the auspices of the United
Nations. The Nigeria's
foreign policy enjoin her to contribute meaningfully to the global peace and
security. Irrespective of the government in power, the Nigeria's
foreign policy never changed, rather it is the area of emphasis that differs.
The first external deployment of Nigeria
soldiers after independence was to stabilize Tangayika, the present day Tanzania
that had army muitiny then in 1960s. Nigeria
assumed responsibility for the Tanzania
until a new- Army was formed.
The Nigeria
troops were also deployed to Congo Kinshasha now Democratic Republic of Congo. Nigerian
troops stabilized peace and order in Congo and came home with
commendation. Nigeria
also participated actively in other peacekeeping missions outside the African
continent/ shore. The government first peacekeeping bold initiative was under
the auspices of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). The then government of
Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1981 sent troops to Chad to restore peace. Though this
bold initiative was poorly managed, but government learnt a lesson. And the
lesson led to affirmative and decisive action taken on Liberia and Sierra Leone. That is, peacekeeping
require professional soldiers, good commander, proper funding and support of
other countries. Consequently then, Nigeria's
action in Liberia and Sierra Leone
should not raise an eve-brow. This is because Nigeria
has done the same indirectly in Angola,
Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa by giving aids and
financial support to the people in these states. Rather than to give aid again,
the government decided and went to real action in Liberia
and Sierra Leone.
In West Africa sub-region, Nigeria
is the only country that have that potential and capacity that can endear
others to military security. She enjoys geopolitical linkage in the whole of West Africa. Any military configuration in, the region
without Nigeria's presence is shaky
and may be virtually impossible. The ECOMOG Naval Task force came into being, due to the Nigerian Navy and become
sub-regional maritime force. Thus Nigeria's foreign policy and the
peacekeeping operations in the continent goes beyond the regime in power. These
issues will be treated extensively in chapter three. However, since the concept
of peace keeping presupposes the presence of conflict, chapter two will examine
the concept, nature and theories of conflict as a phenomenon.
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