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- Development Policy and the Armed Forces - Speeches and Issues Notes
ECOWAS
Civilian-Military Strategy for West Africa
General
Cheick Oumar Diarra
Deputy Executive Secretary for Political Affairs, Defense, and Security
ECOWAS Executive Secretariat, Abuja
Introduction
Good morning honorable
members of the discussion group. I would like to sincerely express my
regrets for not being able to attend the dialogue sessions due unforeseen
circumstances. ECOWAS is very grateful for the invitation to attend
this important gathering.
I appreciate the
opportunity to share my thoughts with this eminent audience on the subject
the "ECOWAS Civilian-Military Strategy for West Africa". I
believe that this topic is timely and relevant and that there are many
lessons to be learnt from the ECOWAS experience - the recent past and
evolving future.
Background
ECOWAS is the
Economic Community of West African States and was established on 28
May 1975. In general, the purpose of establishing ECOWAS was to promote
cooperation and integration in order to create a "union" for
economic growth and development in West Africa.
Challenges to
peace and security
Up until 1989,
the sub-region was relatively stable in terms of internal conflicts.
Strong centralized leadership prevented internal strife, despite a number
of military coups before 1989.
Economically, poverty,
under-development, and unemployment were the norm. Development had been
concentrated in a few urban centers, thus creating migration to cities
that could not provide employment for the large number of job seekers.
This phenomenon stifled the growth of democracy and its institutions
in the sub-region. Naturally, people were disenfranchised and became
restive. Population unrest in order to change the internal conditions
was met with severe repression. These situations set the stage for the
emergence of armed rebel groups, and eventually, open war.
Conflict emerged
in Liberia, then spread to Sierra Leone and to Guinea Bissau then back
to Liberia and then eventually to Cote d'Ivoire.
Thus, as we have
learned in ECOWAS, internal conflicts became highly mobile as disaster
spread from member state to member state threatening to undo all the
beautiful aims and objectives and the very purpose of establishing ECOWAS.
For many reasons
in the 1990's, the UN Security Council was reluctant to authorized large
scale peacekeeping missions, especially in Africa. In the meantime,
the number of internal conflicts increased following democratic changes.
The UN's traditional peacekeeping doctrine was more suited to intervention
in "inter-state" instead of "intra-state" conflicts.
ECOWAS was thus compelled to evolve its own means of responding to and
resolving the armed conflicts and potential humanitarian catastrophes
in the sub-region.
Evolving institutional
structure
As mentioned earlier,
ECOWAS, as a union for economic purposes. The existing agreements were
clearly designed to prevent conflicts between member states and nothing
was in-place for 'interference' in the internal affairs of member states.
In the absence of an enabling legal framework for intervention there
was no consensus among its leadership; thus, complicating efforts to
resolve the conflicts in the sub-region. In general, issues were resolved
in an Ad Hoc manner.
In spite of these
and other limitations, ECOWAS has responded to sub-regional conflicts
and have evolved an enabling strategy.
Institutionalizing
conflict resolution (2)
Finally, after
much work, in 1999 the protocol relating to the Mechanism on Conflict
Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security was established.
This Protocol addresses the issues stated in its title, along with humanitarian
assistance, early warning systems, in addition to other areas. The ECOWAS
efforts were aimed at providing the structures to address the root causes
of destabilization, prevent crises from developing into conflict, and
efficiently managing it if it inevitably occurs.
Subsequently, when
the Cote d'Ivoire crises started in September 2002, even though the
implementation of the Mechanism was still in its early stages, the political
and military approach to the conflict was remarkably different. The
mechanism was activated. The Defense and Security Commission, the Mediation
and Security, and the Authority of Heads of States and Government played
their roles as required by the Mechanism.
The formula
for crisis response
Based on the ECOWAS
experience a formula for response has evolved founded on the 1999 Protocol.
With the emergence of internal conflict or unrest a near immediate political
solution is sought. Failing a resolution, a Vanguard Force is dispatched
to contain the impact of the conflict. Based on the situation, the force
is expanded and stabilization sought. Finally, as negotiated and based
on need, the ECOWAS force is converted or transitioned to a UN mission.
This "formula
for success" has already taken place in Liberia, Sierra Leone,
and Cote d'Ivoire.
Current and
future efforts
Collectively, ECOWAS
is acting to address some of our organizational weaknesses and enhancing
our civilian-military strategies, especially as related to conflict
prevention and conflict management.
- The Authority
of Heads of States and Government has and will continue to exercise
the collective Political Will to retain and establish peace and security
in the sub-region.
- The Mediation
and Security Council speaks with a single voice and is the main decision-making
body dealing with peace and Security in the sub-region.
- The Executive
Secretariat is expanding our internal management capabilities and
surging forward in the implementation of the 1999 Protocol.
- Importantly, capacity building is taking place in all departments
of the Executive Secretariat including finance, HR, administration,
and other functional area.
- Concerted efforts are being undertaken to address the root causes
of conflict in the sub-region by strengthening all the instruments
of the mechanism and additional protocol through ECOWAS institutions
and NEPAD.
- The Council
of Elders, as one of the main organs of ECOWAS, is expanding its scope
to include efforts in preventive diplomacy.
- The Defense
and Security Commission (DSC), comprised of the Chiefs of Defense
Staffs of our Member States, are taking enhancement steps and recently
approved a Vision and Strategy for the implementation of Standby Forces
and HQ elements.
- Additionally, the DSC has identified and is in the mist of establishing
the ECOWAS Standby Forces and logistics support capability.
- We are also constructing extensive documentation in an effort to
pre-coordinate with Donors, which will gain commitments from Donors
to develop ECOWAS units and elements to UN-standard.
- Additionally,
four directors were recently employed for the departments of Political
Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs, Defense\Security and Early Warning
as envisioned in the 1999 Mechanism.
- ECOWAS has also
received a grant to establish a Mission Planning and Management Cell.
- A Small Arms
Unit would also be established.
- It is hoped
that through improved cooperation between the Member States and the
Early Warning System, future conflicts would be prevented to enable
ECOWAS concentrate on Economic development as originally intended.
- The Peace Fund
is being established to facilitate and make operational the Mechanism
of 1999
These efforts and
many others are designed to enhance the capability of ECOWAS to foster
peace and security in the region. Most importantly, all of these improvements
are linked to our civilian-military strategy.
Conclusion
Ladies and gentlemen,
ECOWAS leadership is fully knowledgeable of the enormous problems related
to under-development and the link to the conflicts in its sub-region.
It has taken several initiatives to right the situation. However, recurrent
armed insurrections are sapping life out of these efforts. Judging from
ECOWAS experience, it is felt that effective conflict resolution and
the maintenance of international peace and security would be enhanced
if:
- Regional Organizations
take the front seat and are supported by the international community
in the resolution of conflicts in their sub-region.
- Regional conflict
resolution mechanisms are strengthened; they are an invaluable asset
in efficiently managing conflicts.
- The Regional
Standby Units are provided with appropriate logistics assets. They
can intervene faster and cheaper. They can also set the stages for
the UN to intervene later as ECOWAS has demonstrated in Cote d'Ivoire,
Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
- The international
community takes a resolute stand against insurgencies and other forms
of armed protest.
Closing
I want to thank
all members of this esteemed group and it is hoped that my presentation
today would provide a token contribution as we discuss the ways and
means of making the world a safer place. Thank you for your kind attention.
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