What measures should be taken to prevent armed conflict in West Africa? What steps have West African states taken to monitor signs of conflict? This article from African Security Review examines conflict prevention and early warning mechanisms in West Africa. The most effective conflict prevention measures are good governance and improved standards of living and popular education. These measures should also serve as a checklist for early warning systems.
National governments must play the primary role in implementing conflict prevention measures. Without a sense of national ownership, conflict prevention measures are unlikely to succeed. In order to guarantee the sustainability of conflict prevention measures, governments and regional organisations must ensure that there are proper early warning mechanisms in place.
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) leaders have adopted a Protocol on the Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security (1999). This provides for monitoring of factors affecting peace and security. It is unclear, however, if the measures it provides for will be effective in monitoring politically sensitive issues. Monitoring of politically sensitive issues would be better carried out by civil society groups (CSGs):
- The monitoring mechanisms provided for by the 1999 Mechanism will be staffed by civil servants from West African governments. This may limit their ability to monitor issues such as democratic deficits, human rights abuses and economic inequality.
- CSGs could monitor politically sensitive issues independently and report to the ECOWAS Commission in a confidential manner.
- The CSGs must be funded in a way that does not affect their independence. Resources should come from within West Africa. Membership fees and fundraising events, as well as the business community and Diaspora, are potential sources of funding.
- The CSGs need to improve coordination within and across countries within the region. This will enhance their national, regional and international profiles as well as their legitimacy and authority.
In order to prevent armed conflicts, the factors which cause them must be identified. In general, the root causes of armed conflict in West Africa are bad governance, relative poverty and illiteracy. To prevent conflict, therefore, the following elements should be in place:
- Genuine democratic rule – this requires a clear separation of powers between branches of government, political pluralism, accountability of rulers to citizens and equality before the law.
- Respect for human rights – governments should strengthen protection of individual rights by empowering national human rights commissions to operate without state interference. The West African Community Court of Justice should serve as a court of appeal.
- Independent and credible mass media – the banning of the expression of legitimate views prevails in West Africa. Governments should ensure that all barriers to freedom of expression are removed.
- Economic development – Africans cannot rely on external donors for economic development and must seek solutions within the region. West African states must fight corruption, develop local production capacities and pursue regional economic integration.
- Improvement of educational systems and standards – West Africa is one of the world’s most illiterate regions. Governments should increase spending on education and increase the number of vocational and professional training schools and colleges.
