Humanitarian Intervention of Regional Actors in Internal Conflicts: The Case of ECOWAS in Liberia and Sierra Leone

Levitt, Jeremy I.

doi:10.2139/ssrn.2193569

Cited by 17 publications

(10 citation statements)

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“…A subsequent UN Report expanded on the merits of using regional organisations in peacekeeping noting their "comparative advantage in taking the lead role in the prevention and settlement of conflicts and [in assisting] the UN in containing them" (United Nations 1995, 4). Boutros-Ghali's proposal was bolstered by the Economic Community of West African States' (ECOWAS) successful intervention in the conflicts in Liberia in 1990 and Sierra Leone in 1997 (Levitt 1998). The abatement of the cold war and Africa's loss of strategic importance to the west was attended by a corresponding decline in the willingness of western governments to either lead or be involved in peacekeeping operations (PKOs) in Africa (Adekeye and Landsberg 2000).…”

Section: The Au Peace and Security Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

South Africa and the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture: Old Responsibilities and New Challenges

Akokpari

2017

RBEA

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A União Africana estabeleceu uma Arquitetura de Paz e Segurança para prevenção e resolução de conflitos que permaneceram de forma endêmica no continente. A iniciativa também serve para distinguir a UA de sua antecessora, a Organização de Unidade Africana, que teve um terrível histórico na resolução de conflitos. No entanto, além dos antigos desafios de restrições financeiras e conflitos perenes, a APS enfrenta um novo desafio na forma de posturas contraditórias da África do Sul sobre questões críticas de segurança. Juntos, esses desafios viciam a capacidade da UA de conter conflitos rapidamente. Também, posições contraditórias da África do Sul sobre certas questões de segurança minaram a unidade dos membros da UA. Este último foi demonstrado na falta inicial de consenso na eleição do Presidente da Comissão da UA.

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Section: The Au Peace and Security Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

South Africa and the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture: Old Responsibilities and New Challenges

Akokpari

2017

RBEA

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“…Ultimately, military effortsfailed, and Nigerian troops were forced to withdraw, 56 however later they were able to push back therebels and secure sections of the country. 57 In such unilateral intervention by Nigeria, there had been neither consultation with other ECOWAS leaders nor any vestige of evidence of an ECOWAS decision in favor of military intervention. 58 ECOWAS only acted on August 30 th , 1997, when it decided to intensify the embargos to Sierra Leone and to authorize ECOMOGs action to restore peace and security in the territory.…”

Section: Ecowas' Operations In Liberia and Sierra Leone: Common Goalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

ECOWAS’ Operations under International Law: a Matter of Common Goals to Bring about Peace or a Shield for States’ Self-Interests?

Cardoso¹,

Rosa²

2014

JGPC

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This article intends to discuss the reach of international responsibility of states when acting under the mandate of an international organization. More specifically, it argues on the role of Nigeria when taking action under ECOWAS, a sub-regional organization, within the internal disturbances that occurred in Liberia and Serra Leone in the 1990s, in which triggered a humanitarian crisis that demanded intervention. Therefore, it will describe the intentions and actions carried out by Nigeria under an ECOWAS' mandate in order to try distinguishing Member State's responsibilities from the organizationitself, as it could reflect on the liability of such party for any international law violations carried out under peacekeeping operations. After all, if any abuse is currently foreseen, the (regional) international organization is the one held responsible, even if there was a clear abuse of its legal personality by the State. Thus, at the end, this article tries to reveal a need for a change in the understanding of international organization responsibility whenever a party is acting solely by its interests-as in the case of Nigeria-in order for it to be held liable.

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“…In October 1997, the Security Council expressed its support for the ECOWAS action, 259 and on March 16, 1998 it welcomed the return of president Kabbah into office. 260 The legal literature discusses different justifications for the ECOMOG intervention: they range from a pro-democratic intervention, 261 via a humanitarian intervention, 262 to an intervention on invitation by the de jure government. 263 Some authors have raised doubts concerning the democratic intention of the intervening states, as Nigeria, being the leader of the intervention, was itself ruled by an autocratic government.…”

Section: (B) Collective Interventions In Haiti and Sierra Leonementioning

confidence: 99%

The Principle of Democratic Teleology in International Law

Petersen

2008

SSRN Journal

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In the early 1990s, after the fall of the Berlin wall, legal scholars initiated a debate on the existence of a right to democratic governance in international law. Many of the adherents to the democratic entitlement school seem to assume that democratization is a simple shift in the political status, a change from one form of government to another. This contribution seeks to analyze this underlying assumption by taking a look at the current discussion on democratization theory in the political sciences. Through this lens, it will reconsider the international practice and the corresponding legal documents related to the existence of a possible democracy principle. In this respect, a special emphasis will be put on three areas of potential precedents -resolutions of the UN General Assembly, the practice of regional organizations such as the Organization of American States or the African Union, and military interventions in the name of democracy. The analysis will show that the legitimacy principle of international law is, at the same time, more modest and more demanding than the claim of the democratic entitlement school. It will be argued that democracy is no strict obligation, but rather a teleological principle. States are obliged to develop towards democracy and to consolidate and to optimize democracy, once electoral institutions have been established.

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Humanitarian Intervention of Regional Actors in Internal Conflicts: The Case of ECOWAS in Liberia and Sierra Leone

Cited by 17 publications

References 0 publications

South Africa and the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture: Old Responsibilities and New Challenges

South Africa and the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture: Old Responsibilities and New Challenges

ECOWAS’ Operations under International Law: a Matter of Common Goals to Bring about Peace or a Shield for States’ Self-Interests?

The Principle of Democratic Teleology in International Law

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