The role of regional organizations in regional peace and security: a critical analysis of ECOMOG military intervention in ECOWAS

Abstract

This study explores the role of regional organizations in regional peace and security with emphasis on ECOMOG intervention in West African States. The objectives of this study were (1) To investigate why ECOWAS continues to deploy the intervention force as a conflict resolution mechanism during intrastate conflicts in West Africa; (2) To examine the possibility of the force becoming a standing force; (3) To examine the policy implications of having the force in the sub-region. The study employed qualitative approach; it sought to cover the exploratory, descriptive and explanatory elements of the research process. The first part of the study gives a background of ECOMOG intervention in West Africa region conflicts. In the second part a presentation of a theoretical overview of peacekeeping of different authors, the role of peacebuilding in civil conflicts, the birth of regional conflict resolution mechanism with a bias to ECOMOG. In the third part, ECOMOG intervention is contextualized highlighting its weaknesses and challenges, in addition, some of its successes are given, in the fourth part of the paper.