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Journal of Military and Strategic Studies
Journal of Military and Strategic Studies
Managing Chaos in the West African Sub-Region: Assessing the Rold of ECOMOG in Liberia
By David Carment and Rasheed Draman
Abstract
The West African sub-region is a troubled region with Liberia as the epicenter of most of the conflicts currently raging on in that region. This piece is an assessment of ECOWAS’ efforts to bring peace to Liberia. The focus of the study is the ECOMOG’s intervention in Liberia from 1990 to 1997. We argue that the course of ECOWAS diplomacy in Liberia was fraught with problems and growing pains; the result of a lack of a cease-fire on the ground before the force was deployed; the absence of a clear and enforceable mandate and divisive regional power politics and the absence of the much expected American leadership. These shortcomings notwithstanding, ECOMOG’s efforts in Liberia have helped the region as a whole. The net result has been a rapid but positive learning experience for the peacekeeping nations of West Africa, improved regional stability and an emerging regionally based conflict management capacity.