This thesis examines the roles and significance of ECOWAS (Economic
Community of West Africa States) in conflict prevention, crisis response and
security-building processes in West Africa, particularly since 2000. The
importance of developing regional institutions and capacities for peace and
security-building in Sub-Saharan Africa has been widely recognised since at
least the mid-1990s. Not only has the African Union developed important peace
and security building aims and roles, but so too have several of the sub-regional
organisations in Africa, including ECOWAS in West Africa. In the late 1990s,
ECOWAS Member States achieved a number of noteworthy sub-regional
agreements on ECOWAS norms and mechanisms for conflict prevention, crisis
response, and peace and security –building in West Africa. These agreements
and mechanisms have subsequently been further developed since 2000, in a
dynamic process that was informed by experience with efforts to respond to a
range of crises and conflicts in the region. This thesis critically examines this
process, focussing particularly on the extent to which, and how, ECOWAS
norms, institutions and mechanism have continued not only to develop but also
to be influential in practice.
Our research demonstrates that the ECOWAS agreements and norms
established by 2000 have continued subsequently to be dynamically developed
and used by ECOWAS member states and West African networks, in close
interaction with several international partners. It argues that these norms and
mechanisms have played significant roles in influencing actual policies,
practices and missions. They have therefore proved to be more than shallow symbolic or paper agreements, despite the political fragility and divisions of the
region and most of its states. We argue that this cannot be adequately
understood using single explanatory frameworks, such as Nigeria’s hegemonic
influence or instrumental influence of external Actors such as UN, EU or USA,
as has often been suggested. Adequate explanations need to combine these
factors with others, including relatively consistent investment in regional norms
and institutions by coalitions of some West African states (including Ghana,
Senegal and Nigeria) together with civil society and parliamentary networks.
Our research then examines in detail the extent to which, and how, ECOWAS
norms and mechanisms on conflict prevention, crisis response and security
sector reform were significant and influential in ECOWAS’ responses to the
crises and conflicts in Cote D’Ivoire, Mali and to a lesser extent in Gambia since 2003; and also how these crises were in turn influential in the further
development of ECOWAS norms in these areas. We demonstrate numerous
weaknesses in the implementation and effectiveness in these norms; and
limitations in their diffusion and influence. However, we argue that such
weaknesses and limitations are typical of regional peace and security norms
everywhere, including much more stable and developed regions. Equally
significant is that substantial coalitions exist between ECOWAS member states
and stakeholders. Despite obvious tensions, ECOWAS, AU, UN and other
countries such as France continue to work to address inherent tensions and
develop mutually beneficial collaborations that enhance effective conflict
prevention in the sub-region. The study draws on the knowledge created within
this this thesis to propose a framework for conflict intervention. / Allan & Nesta Foundation
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BRADFORD/oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/19268 |
| Date | January 2020 |
| Creators | Onyekwere, Ignatius E. |
| Contributors | Greene, Owen J., Pankhurst, Donna T. |
| Publisher | University of Bradford, Peace Studies and International Development. Faculty of Management Law and Social Sciences |
| Source Sets | Bradford Scholars |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, doctoral, PhD |
| Rights | <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>. |
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