NIGERIA'S ROLE IN ECOWAS KONITORING GROUP (ECOMOG) IN THE LIBERIAN CRISIS
NIGERIA'S ROLE IN ECOWAS KONITORING GROUP (ECOMOG) IN THE LIBERIAN CRISIS
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Date
2015-09-07
Authors
IDRIS, AISHA
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Abstract
A crisis situation is the most acute political phase in the
development of an international conflict. It has always been and
shall continue to be an indicator of a sharp rise in tensions
between or within states and may grow into armed confrontation as it
did in Liberia. Crisis situation generally can never be ruled out
as long as there exist international systems where interests clashes
and conforms with the actors in the international scene. Likewise,
the possibility for peaceful solution can never be ruled out even
though it greatly depends on the actors involved in the conflict.
"Nigeria's Role in ECOMOG in Liberia", is a study on Liberia, the
oldest republic on the African continent and the role Nigeria played
in trying to find a lasting solution to the crisis that developed
since December, 1989. This include the Afrocentric foreign policy
of Nigeria that came into play when the Liberian war broke out.
Nigeria has since independence recognised her human and natural
potentials and this has Influenced her in perceiving Africa as the
centre-piece of its foreign policy and to assume the mantle of
leadership in the continent which she pursued at a great expense.
Nigeria's initiative in the formation and deployment of ECOWAS
Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) has brought to the country international
recognition, particularly within the subregion and the African
continent and has set the basis for a regional security system to be established in the West African subregion and the continent. Hut
this has also drawn fire internally owing to the deteriorating
economic and social conditions of the majority of the Nigerian
populace, who think that Nigeria's foreign policy should first and
foremost be of Nigeria itself, while the external environment should
come second.
The prolonged involvement of Nigeria in the peace keeping effort has
been argued to be for various reasons ranging from the Afrocentric
foreign policy of the country to the "hidden agenda" of the Nigerian
Military Government and the stubborness of the rebel factions in the
crisis, especially the National Patriotic Front of Liberia led by
Charles Taylor who have provided various hurdles in the path to
resume to normalcy in that country.
However, after five years of the war and peace initiative by ECOWAS,
it is hoped that the Liberian crisis will come to an end after the
latest peace agreement signed last August and the lesson learnt and
mistakes committed during the peace keeping mission will be taken
note of and corrected respectively in future peace keeping
operations.
Indeed, it was part of the recommendation of this study that Nigeria
must use her resources to build a solid enonomic base as a necessary
first step to a strong and committed foreign policy in West Africa.
Description
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POST GRADUATE SCHOOL,
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL
FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF
THE DEGREE OF MASTERS OF SCIENCE (INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS), IN THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL
SCIENCE, FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE.
Keywords
ROLE,, ECOWAS KONITORING GROUP,, (ECOMOG),, LIBERIAN CRISIS