Assessing ECOWAS early warning response networks and stand by force in resolving challenges in West Africa

Abstract

The inability of Economic Community of West African States to effectively responds with mediation experts and trails of sanctions to earlier signals of mass protests, tenure elongations, absence of security sector reforms, premeditated constitutional crises, opaqueness of law and order, and endangered human security status from member states could be seen legalizing Military Coups in the region and disenchantment towards former colonial masters as seen in Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger. It was against this background that this study employed State Fragility Theory to assess the impact of ECOWAS Early Warning Response Networks (ECOWARN) and ECOWAS Stand by Force (ESF) in resolving challenges in West Africa. This study adopts a qualitative research design; by reviewing publicly available archive documents on, literature concerning ECOWAS dispute resolution and intervention activities, Mediation, and peacekeeping operations. This study concludes that ill governance from democratic rules, tenure extensions, and monarchial presidency system by African leaders are triggers to coups and counter coups on the subregion and continent. Findings from this study show that the establishment of ECOWAS Stand by Force positively influences her role in resolving conflicts in West Africa. The study also submitted that there exists a weak link between ECOWAS Early Warning Response Networks and conflict resolution in the region. This study therefore recommends that ECOWAS should explore all means to maintain her Standby Force and deepen professionalisation that eschews military coups. This study also recommends that the ECOWAS’s ECOWARN should go beyond data analysis on crisis build-ups to envoy and mediation experts’ visits and likewise bloc’s pressure on seated government to focus on governance and human security.