ECOWAS AND THE CHALLENGES OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT IN WEST AFRICA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE AWARD OF MASTER OF INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (MIS (original) (raw)

Abstract

For decades, countries such as Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau were crippled by conflicts and civil strife in which violence and killings were prevalent. While violent conflicts are declining in the sub-region, recent, low intensity conflicts surging within notably stable countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal sends alarming signals of the possible resurgence of internal and regional violent conflicts. These conflicts are often linked to such factors as colonial legacies, poverty, violations of human right, bad governance, ethnic marginalization among others. ECOWAS as the regional institution established with the main objective of economic integration have been making efforts to develop a viable structure for deterring, mitigating and preventing a resurgence of violence in the sub-region. This paper therefor, posits that, ending violent conflicts and civil strife in the sub-region, requires the collaborative and collective efforts of the civil society, regional governments as well as the international community in identifying and understanding the causal causes of conflicts and also, developing concrete policy and programmes to prevent, manage and completely resolve these conflicts.

Key takeaways

sparkles

AI

  1. ECOWAS aims to enhance conflict management and resolution in West Africa amidst ongoing tensions.
  2. Low-intensity conflicts in stable nations signal potential resurgence of violence across the region.
  3. Historical grievances, poverty, and governance issues are primary drivers of conflict in West Africa.
  4. ECOWAS has established protocols for peacekeeping and conflict resolution but faces significant operational challenges.
  5. Collaborative efforts among civil society, governments, and international actors are essential for sustainable peace.

Loading...

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.