The Role Of Ecowas In Mitigating Of Illicit Small Arms And Light Weapons Movement In The Mano River Region

This thesis is an analysis of the Economic Community of West Africa States [ECOWAS] role in the Mano River Region in reducing the flows of small arms and light weapons across the borders of the two West Africa countries Sierra Leone and Liberia.The study investigates ECOWAS role in mitigating the problems associated with small arms movement within and out of the Mano River Union states ranging from 1998-2010 in West Africa that cause inundated crises in Sierra Leone and Liberia through the spillover and spill into effect.The research look into most of the dynamics /crises that followed the removal of the superpower umbrella were internal a shift from inter-state wars to intra-state wars occurred as happen to captured the focus countries.Most other regions of the world were basking in the newly found post-Cold War peace dividend,in such case,West Africa had to deal with different kinds of challenges,some of which took violent form and in some other cases posed a serious challenge to the very existence of these states.For instance,the decade-long conflicts in the Mano River Basin(Sierra Leone,and Liberia)led to the massive flow of small arms and light weapons(SALW)into the region.The continuing unchecked proliferation of these tools of war has contributed to sustaining some of the most brutal conflicts that the citizens of the Mano River Basin countries,in particular,and West Africa,in general,have experienced in the post-Cold War era tagged as one of the factors.However,this research showcased the experience and involvement of ECOWAS a regional organization role in Sierra Leone and Liberia which to a certain extent shows the transnational and cross-border nature of conflicts in the sub-region.In that token' prompted West Africa to galvanized member states of the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS)to adopt measures in order for stability to bear on the security situation in West Africa.The research as well make use of ECOWAS fight through the use of its pronounced moratorium against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons that had been a key priority on West Africa's peace and security agenda.ECOWAS moratorium is just one of the regional strategies used in stopping the illegal circulation and proliferation of small arms and light weapons.It is such an important objective that this study reveals.And not only that the research also throws attention on the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS)Mechanism for conflict prevention,management,resolution,peacekeeping and security devotes in(article 51)which specifically drew the attention of the “Preventive Measures against the illegal circulation of Small Arms.This work interlinked the nature of SALW proliferation with other issues such as security sector reform,corruption,criminality and terrorism to be better understood and a holistic approach to mitigate SALW in the Mano River Region.Small Arms have been one of the fundamental obstacles to peace and security in West Africa which showed the presence and continue proliferation in the region(SALW).Moreover,this proliferation of small arms constitutes a major source of destruction to lives and property,exacerbating inter-communal tensions leading to full-fledge conflicts.In that regards,ECOWAS had re-strategized its institutional framework since the arrival of small and arms and light weapons(SALW)on the international policy-making radar in July 2001 to institute plans aim at reducing the proliferation and have focused almost exclusively on regulating and controlling the supply side of it,while the Mano River Union sub-region of West Africa provides an important case study of how demand-based measures should be incorporated into small arms policy which in correlation with ECOWAS conventional treaty had fore been looked into.This research explores ECOWAS's role on the mitigation of illicit small arms and light weapons in the Mano River Union sub-region and it efforts to deal with the problem through its legal and mandated instruments such as,the ECOWAS declaration of a Moratorium as firstly measured,the Program for Coordination and Assistance for Security and Development(PCASED),it Code of Conduct and Convention for the moratorium implantation in containing Small Arms and Light Weapons movement.More so,though it has some challenges,as some of the populace utilizes these weapons as a bargaining tool for survival and attention in the society,which leads to regional internal insecurity,incessant violence,and an ungovernable society.This has caused very hard hit by the nefarious use of small arms in MRU states,ECOWAS did play a role to minimize those incidences.Furthermore,from the protracted wars of Sierra-Leone and Liberia,it was noticed to see a common enemy fuelling the intensity and length of these conflicts.To this end,made states in their region very eager to solve the problem of SALWs through numerous security programmes designed as thus laid the room for an established regional organization to curb the availability and use of these lethal tools.This nevertheless,has made West-Africa to have been recognized to be at the forefront in the fight against SALW within Africa which the study makes no joke of with the deliberate used of the neoliberal institutionalism theory from the theories of International Relations perspective to broaden the concept of institutionalism into this research as a contribution.Many of the ECOWAS states are signatories to the UN Firearms Protocol,and have involved in a number of regional initiatives such as the Bamako declaration on the importation,exportation and manufacture of SALW in West-Africa.ECOWAS through it convention Article 24 extended it policies to national or states own responsibility by established National Commissions in every ECOWAS states for a joint fight in reducing the small arms transfer in the whole region in general and in the MRU states in particular.This research argues that the ECOWAS attempt to address the issue of small arms and light weapons [SALW] as stated has been done through the means of instituting new institutions such as ECOSAP though it had first remain an issue of concern but it still signal head way.Such trends within West Africa are positive both at a national and regional level and therefore there are good grounds to be optimistic about the future.The research identified a case study analysis methodology in the interest of states to implement agreements through positive inducements and to foster greater relationships between civil society groups and implementation agencies among themselves from their history.The research catered for five chapters.Chapter one is an introduction of the study background and timeframe.Chapter Two,examines the genealogy of ECOWAS a regional organization with an explanations on the historical account of the Mano River Region and it countries Sierra Leone and Liberia in the sub-region,together with the problems to small arms and light weapons proliferation.Chapter Three,assessed and examines the role of ECOWAS in mitigating the problem of SALWs and the genesis of ECOWAS moratorium in West Africa and it impact in the sub-region.Chapter Four,evaluate the implementation of ECOWAS moratorium through the help of the Economic Community Small Arms Program [ECOSAP-2010] in every ECOWAS member states through their national commissions to enhance the fight on small arms in the Mano River Union [M.R.U] countries,while chapter five concludes wholesomely the entire work.