Abstract

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has evolved conflict management and security framework through which it responds to the myriads of socio-political crisis in the sub-region. This study assesses the ECOWAS mechanisms for conflict management, the challenges facing the region. It begins by looking at the nature of conflict in West Africa; Conflicts are derivable from possession of, and pursuit of divergent ideas, goals, claims, interests and aspirations by people in their relations. Conflicts occur between individuals, within states (civil wars), and between states. Conflict is a situation in which two or more human beings desire goals which they perceive as being obtainable by one or the other, but not both.


CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study
The mantra of African solution to African problem gained greater currency in the years following the end of the Cold War (Albert, 2011). Before then, major happenings in the African continent were mired in the Cold War politics between the Soviet Union and the United States. During this period, African governments and rebel groups alike enjoyed the backing and support of the ideologically polarized super powers that were bent on undoing each other. Economic, financial, social and political aids flowed into the continent time and again as the US and the Soviet Union jostled to protect their strategic interests in the region. But with the end of the Cold War, the African continent was arguably left to fend for itself. The US, obviously the only super power remaining, in conjunction with other Western powers diverted their attention to Eastern Europe where former Soviet States were beginning to embrace capitalism. While the world celebrated the new found post-Cold War peace, many countries in Africa descended into armed conflict. The emergence of violent hostilities in the 1990s can be attributed to the withdrawal of super powers’ strategic interest in Africa following the end of the Cold War. The intensity and carnage that attended these conflicts, coupled with the inactions of the “big powers”, reinforced the need for an African solution to what was largely considered as an African problem. This necessitated sub-regional organizations such as the ECOWAS to intervene in countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast through its intervention force ECOWAS Cease-Fire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG). Conflicts are derivable from possession of, and pursuit of divergent ideas, goals, claims, interests and aspirations by people in their relations. Conflicts occur between individuals, within states (civil wars), and between states. According to Ross Stagner (1967) conflict is a situation in which two or more human beings desire goals which they perceive as being obtainable by one or the other, but not both. This means that conflicts have been part of mankind since creation, and that it will continue to be so. If this is the case, the extent to which conflict affects human existence is determined by human capacity to reduce, manage or resolve it. This study appraises the problems of conflict management and resolution in the West African subregion with a view to making recommendations. Resolution and management have been variously defined in conflict situations, it is therefore necessary to define the words in the context of this study. Management is considered to be all actions taken to bring about peace between belligerent parties. This includes mediation, peace making, peace enforcement, and peacekeeping. While resolution, consists of all actions taken to sustain, the resultant peace from the management of the conflict, and the prevention of a reoccurrence of the conflict. This includes post conflict activities (peace building) such as elections, rebuilding of government and infrastructure, rehabilitation of displaced persons and the establishment of mechanism for conflict prevention. In 1999, Otite asserted that because there is hardly any permanent peace or permanent resolution or transformation of conflicts, it might be more appropriate to speak of conflict management as a means of coping with the process of resolving or transforming conflicts. The conflict that engulfed Côte d’Ivoire in 2002 divided the country for eight years, with the south controlled by the Government and the north by rebel forces. The violence and divisions in the country were responsible for the reversal of major economic gains that had been made since independence, and the political uncertainties threatened regional stability. While Côte d’Ivoire’s economy blossomed after independence thanks in part to readily available labour from nationals who had migrated from neighbouring countries in West Africa, signs of political tensions became apparent in the 1990s and culminated with a coup d’état in 1999, a disputed election in 2000 and an attempted coup in 2002. Between 2002 and 2010, Côte d’Ivoire experienced ethnic-related tensions, with the rebels running a parallel government. Elections were postponed repeatedly despite diplomatic interventions by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU) and France, and military intervention by the United Nations. Even after elections were finally held in 2010, disputes around the electoral results led to violence and human rights violations and brought the country to the brink of another brutal civil war. The difficulties faced by the belligerents in agreeing on a way forward at the different stages of the conflict meant regional actors and the international community had to step in on a regular basis to prevent further escalations of violence during periods of relative peace. The role played by the AU and ECOWAS in the Ivorian crisis increasingly came under scrutiny. On the one hand, the peacemaking and peacekeeping efforts of these organizations were praised for preventing further atrocities. On the other hand, they were criticised in some quarters because their attempts to restore peace were not often respected by the different parties involved in the conflict. Côte d’Ivoire became a test case for rapid interventions by regional actors at a time when ECOWAS had gone through major transformations to meet the peace and security challenges of the 21st century. In the late 1990s, questions were raised about the specific mandates, composition, financial capacity and sustainability of regional efforts to resolve conflicts, especially in terms of peacekeeping and peacemaking. At the same time, the interventions of regional peacekeeping forces in different conflict hotspots elicited praise and admiration. Debates also focused on the comparative advantage of regional and UN-sanctioned interventions, the failure to respond to crimes against humanity and genocide in Rwanda, the sustainability of African-led peacekeeping operations and the urgency (or lack thereof) in the operationalization of some UN-led operations. The interventions by the AU in Burundi (2003) and Somalia (2007,) and by ECOWAS in Liberia (1990) and Sierra Leone (1997), increased expectations concerning the vital role of African-led peacekeeping missions.





STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is vain saying that ECOWAS has not enough in conflict management in western Africa. In considering the extent to which ECOWAS has played a role in responding to conflict, in West Africa, one is often apt to forget that the organisation was, in its origin meant to foster economic integration and only got into the field of peace and security by default. In the last decade, but more importantly in the last few years, ECOWAS has played a significant role in addressing conflicts in the region. However, its capacity has been better demonstrated in the field of peacekeeping. While not directly responsible for post-conflict peace-building work in West Africa, ECOWAS has, through a number of activities, promoted peace-building in regional as well as certain national contexts. These include, for example, systematic collaboration with civil society, cooperation with development and other partners in activities aimed at meeting sub-regional security challenges. However, there are constrain and huddles facing the organization when it comes to conflict management which has necessitate the need for this study.



RESEARCH QUESTIONS
To aid the completion of this study, the following research questions were formulated by the researcher;

What are the problems of conflict management and resolution in the West African subregion?
What are the effects of the root causes of conflicts in member nations on ECOWAS capacity for conflict management and resolution?
What are the effects of the history of ECOWAS on its capacity for conflict management and resolution?
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to examine the role of ECOWAS in conflict management in western Africa, but to aid the completion of the study, the researcher intend to achieve the following specific objectives;

To examine the problems of conflict management and resolution in West Africa subregion
To examine the causes of conflict among member nation of ECOWAS and her capacity to manage it
To ascertain the effects of the history of ECOWAS on its capacity for conflict management and resolution
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to management of regional organization as the study seek to explore the strategies adopted by ECOWAS in conflict management in west Africa subregion, the study will also be of significance to researchers who intend to embark on a study in a similar topic as the study will serve as a reference point to further study, the study will also be of importance to academia’s, students, teachers, lecturers and the general public as the study will contribute to the pool of existing literature on the subject matter and also add to knowledge

SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers ECOWAS jurisdiction in conflict management, scope of ECOWAS powers and authority in conflict management among member state, with specific emphasis on conflict management and resolution among West Africa subregion



LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
In the cause of the study, there were some factors that limited the scope of the study;

a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
c) Organizational privacy: Limited Access to the selected auditing firm makes it difficult to get all the necessary and required information concerning the activities.
1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

ECOWAS

The Economic Community of West African States, also known as ECOWAS, is a regional economic union of fifteen countries located in West Africa.

CONFLICT

Conflict It implies clash of interest. The basis of conflict may vary but, it is always a part of society. Basis of conflict- personal, racial, class, caste, political and international. Conflict in groups often follows a specific course

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Conflict management is the process of limiting the negative aspects of conflict while increasing the positive aspects of conflict. The aim of conflict

PEACEKEEPING

Peacekeeping refers to activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths and reduces the risk of renewed warfare.


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