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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The interest in peacekeeping has been
the subject of several studies and continues to dominate the minds of many on
the international scene. Basically, peacekeeping relates to the preservation of
peace, especially the supervision by international forces. It has been a
subject of vast academic and professional inquiry, primarily because of its
importance as a strategy for maintaining and preserving peace, stability, and
order in conflict-ridden parts of the world (American English Dictionary,
2000). Enormous resources and efforts are invested continuously in peacekeeping
by international organizations, such as the United Nations (UN), by world
powers such as the United States, and by regional powers such as Nigeria in the
case of West Africa.
Nigeria continues to play vital roles
in support of countries challenged by political instability. This Big brother
role gives credit to the statement that Nigeria is a significant Actor in
peacekeeping particularly within West Africa. Nigeria‘s peace keeping mission
began in1960 when she joined the United Nations. Between 1960 and 2014, Nigeria
has been efficiently involved in various ways in the fight against the crumble
of the African continent. This made her to promote the establishment of the
non-alignment movement, the organization of African unity which is now African
union (2001), the Economic community of west Africa states (ECOWAS).Nigeria
also helped in the creation of, Economic Community of West African States
Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), she (Nigeria) provided resources, troops and
financial backing that made the creation of ECOMOG possible (Net Resources
International accessed 2014).
Nigeria has also led the diplomatic
and military engagements to restore and maintain peace in Congo, Somalia,
Liberia, Sudan, Sierra Leone and a host of other countries. In particular
Nigeria‘s reputation as a regional stabilizer, conciliator and peace building
efforts in the West Africa sub-region remains unmatched. Nigeria has played a
prominent role in the peace building and integrative efforts within the West
African region. At the regional level she has contributed to various peace
building and peacemaking efforts on the African continent. To date Nigeria has
contributed armed military contingents, unarmed military observers, military
staff officers, formed police units and police advisors as well as civilian
experts to more than 30 A.U, ECOWAS and UN missions (Omotorere, 2011).
Generally, some of the peace
initiatives that Nigeria have been involved in includes: Congo (ONUC)
1960-1964, Battalion operations; New Guinea (UNSF) 1962-1963, Military
Observers; Tanzania (Bilateral agreement) 1964, Battalion operations;
India-Pakistan (UNIPOM) 1965-1966, Military Observers; Lebanon (UNIFIL)
1978-1983, Battalion operations and Staff Officers; Chad (HARMONY I, bilateral
agreement) 1981-1982, Battalion operations and Staff Officers; Chad (HARMONY
II, OAU) 1982-1983, Brigade operations; Iran-Iraq (UNIIMOG) 1988-1991, Military
Observers; Liberia (ECOMOG) 1990- Division (-) operations; Iraq-Kuwait (UNIKOM)
1991, Military Observers; Angola (UNAVEM II) 1991-1992, Military Observers;
Sierra Leone (NATAG) 1991, Training Team; Angola (UNAVEM III) 1992-1995,
Detachment; Namibia (UNTAG) 1989-1990, Military Observers; Western Sahara
(MINURSO) 1991, Military Observers; Cambodia (UNTAC) 1992- 1993, Military
Observers; Somalia (UNOSOM) 1992-1994, Battalion operations and Staff Officers;
Former Republic of Yugoslavia (UNPROFOR) 1992, Battalion operations and Staff
Officers; Mozambique (ONUMOZ) 1992 Military Observers; Rwanda (UNAMIR) 1993,
Battalion operations; Gambia (NATAG) 1993, Training Team; Aouzo Strip (UNASOG)
1994, Military Observers; Israel (UNTSO) 1995, Military Observers; Liberia –
ECOMOG; Sierra Leone – UNMIL; and Dafur peace initiative(Omotere tope, 2011).
However, while the country is been
applauded by the United Nations mission across the globe ,many Nigerians hold
reservations regarding the huge resources expended on peacekeeping operations
around the world at the cost of the country‘s needs. It should be notable that
the financial, material and human losses Nigeria has incurred in these
involvements have been significant. According to Ahmed (2011) Nigeria has not
taken full advantage of its active participation in numerous peacekeeping
operations around the world by not getting proportional economic, military, and
political compensation for its participation. For example countries like Ghana
which also participate in numerous United Nations peacekeeping operations,
generate funds through this process to defray the costs of sustaining its
military while Nigeria on the other hand has largely deprived itself of such
benefits .Nigeria has grown to be widely recognized in the international
community as an unrelenting advocate of global peace. The objectives and 3
principles of Nigerian foreign policy
since independence made it mandatory for the country to be an active
participant in African regional peace support operations. Furthermore, as a
non-aligned country during the cold war years, Nigeria maintained a neutral
position, which made her a dependable mediator and courted participant in the
forces rose to restore and maintain peace in conflict zones (Ahmed, 2013).
While most of the peacekeeping operations in which Nigeria has participated
were united nations mandate and led, a few actually came under the mandate of
the African union but more recently most of the peace keeping operations have
been authorized and carried out under economic community of west African states
(ECOWAS) mandates and often, Nigeria took a leading role at the operational
level. This will review the enormous contribution that Nigeria has made towards
security African peace and security through its past participation in
peacekeeping operations. This study attempts to understand the reasons behind,
and the extent of Nigeria‘s peacekeeping roles, identify past problems and
current ―issues‖ in Nigeria‘s participation in peacekeeping organizations, and
to also contribute to the broad knowledge that already exists in the
peacekeeping operation field and hopefully encourage further research.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
Peacekeeping is the action of a third
party between warring forces, enforcing a cease fire or other truce, usually in
support of political moves towards a lasting peace settlement. The majority of
peacekeeping during the Cold War period was limited to separating national
armies in ending hostilities between belligerent states. Since then, the roles
of peacekeepers have been diverse with rise of demand for new functions of
international military forces in response to hostilities among ethnic groups.
It is not by accident that the West African region experienced an explosion of
conflicts in the 1990s. Many of the states in the region became independent
between 1957 and 1962; a period popularly referred to as ―annus mirabilis‖
meaning years of wonder.
When many of these African states
attained political independence from their European colonizers, they lacked the
necessary infrastructure and structured institutions to facilitate adequate
economic, political and social functions. Like other regions in Africa, the end
of the Cold War diminished competition for allies by both the former Union of
Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) and the West (Europe and United States of
America). Writing in this vein, Gros states that, ―. . . the demise of the
East-West rivalry did not result in greater attention by the West to Africa‘s
problems.‖ Nor did the broader international community, such as the UN, care enough
to play any active role in the reduction of many African intra-state or
inter-state conflicts. This necessitated sub-regional organizations, such as
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) with Nigeria as its major
participant, to respond and help resolve some of these conflicts. Regulation of
conflict in the West African region became imperative with the Liberian crisis,
which corresponded to the end of the Cold War (WaIter Rodney, 1982).
Adhering to this urgency, the
initiative for ECOWAS stemmed from a desire by some of the member states,
particularly Nigeria, for an economically and/or politically stable and
developing region. In addition to championing the ECOWAS initiative, Nigeria
has continued to commit to its existence and operation and by extension,
ECOMOG. Against this background of overt commitment by Nigeria, Aluko contends
that: The main ideas behind Nigeria‘s initiative are political, security, and
economic considerations. For political reasons Nigeria wants an arrangement that
will put an end to colonial divisions in West Africa. Furthermore, she believes
that such a step will put an end to border disputes and will be an important
contribution to African unity. Aluko‘s assertion implies that Nigeria believes,
that through economic unity, the West African region will get closer to
political unity, and that economic and political stability enhances greater
regional security. The successive inter-state and intra-state conflicts in the
West African region since the end of the Cold War, have added extra burden to
Nigeria‘s roles in West Africa. From the time of her independence in 1960,
Nigeria has participated in almost every peacekeeping effort in West Africa and
beyond. While there have been write-ups on Nigeria‘s participation in the
region, some of the discussions concentrate on whether Nigeria‘s overall
interest in West Africa has a bearing on her need to emerge as a regional
hegemony, as Aluko (1981) contends, Nigeria remains suspect in many West
African capitals. Nigeria is seen in many of these countries as working for the
eventual domination of her smaller neighbors. While efforts have been made by
some scholars to document Nigerian peacekeeping missions, much is yet to be
covered on the challenges facing Nigeria as a country in her involvements in
peacekeeping. That is why this research is set to examine Nigeria peacekeeping
mission and the certain challenges she has faced while undergoing peacekeeping
operations and provide solutions where needed.
1.3 THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY:
The general objective of this study is
to study the impact of Nigeria‘s peacekeeping role in West Africa.
The specific objectives of this study
are to:
Examine the foreign policy
objectives of Nigeria in relation to her peacekeeping mission in Liberia and
sierra Leone
State the achievements made by
Nigerian peacekeeping mission in Liberia and sierra Leone
Review the major challenges facing
Nigeria peacekeeping mission.
To suggest possible solutions to the
major challenges facing Nigeria peace keeping missions in West Africa.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
How effective is Nigeria‘s
participation in peacekeeping operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone?
What are the positive and negative
implications of Nigeria‘s participation in peacekeeping operations in West
Africa?
What are the specific achievements
of Nigeria‘s peacekeeping roles in West Africa?
What are the specific challenges of
Nigeria‘s peacekeeping roles in West Africa?
TOPIC: AN EVALUATION OF NIGERIA’S PEACE KEEPING OPERATION IN WEST AFRICA A CASE STUDY OF LIBERIA AND SIERRIA LEONE
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Chapters: 1 - 5
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Number of Pages: 51
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