The study examined ECOWAS mechanisms in addressing the challenges of human security in West Afric... more The study examined ECOWAS mechanisms in addressing the challenges of human security in West Africa and investigated the importance of regional framework in strengthening and promoting human security in the sub region. It also established a nexus between human security and conflict prevention in West Africa. These were with a view to providing insight on the importance of regional framework in addressing the challenges of human security in the sub-region. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. For primary data, 34 in-depth interviews were conducted at the various departments of ECOWAS, which include: Political Affairs, Agriculture and Environment, Gender and Human Development, Trade and Free Movement, as well as Infrastructure. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted at the Department of Political Science of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies of six West African countries in Nigeria. These embassies include Liberia, Mali, Ghana, Benin Republic, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The respondents are as follows: five people in the senior cadre rank from ECOWAS which is the main organisation that the work had as its focal point. These respondents covered the selected departments of the organisation. For the academic institution, three respondents who had worked on ECOWAS and related areas were interviewed. Lastly, two senior members of staff were interviewed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies of the six selected West African countries making a total of 22. Furthermore, secondary data were sourced from ECOWAS documents, such as protocols establishing its various organs, institutions and modus operandi of the institution, books, journals, articles, magazines, newspapers and unpublished literatures as they are relevant to the subject matter. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive and content analyses. The results showed that the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework of 2008, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme of 2006 and ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods which were the organisation’s mechanisms for addressing human security challenges in the sub region, were adequate but with certain challenges. The results also revealed that the importance of the regional framework at addressing human security challenges was in strengthening and promoting human security in the sub region. This is because, the combined efforts of all states in the sub region under ECOWAS contributed to the drastic reduction of violent conflicts in the sub- region and also improved economic performance of the member states. Furthermore, the results also showed that there was a strong nexus between human security and conflict prevention. This is evident in the drastic reduction of violent conflicts in the sub region implying that the promotion and strengthening of human security could serve as conflict prevention mechanism. The study concluded that regional framework was successful in addressing the challenges of human security in the sub- region.
The study examined ECOWAS mechanisms in addressing the challenges of human security in West Afric... more The study examined ECOWAS mechanisms in addressing the challenges of human security in West Africa and investigated the importance of regional framework in strengthening and promoting human security in the sub region. It also established a nexus between human security and conflict prevention in West Africa. These were with a view to providing insight on the importance of regional framework in addressing the challenges of human security in the sub-region. Primary and secondary data were used for the study. For primary data, 34 in-depth interviews were conducted at the various departments of ECOWAS, which include: Political Affairs, Agriculture and Environment, Gender and Human Development, Trade and Free Movement, as well as Infrastructure. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted at the Department of Political Science of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies of six West African countries in Nigeria. These embassies include Liberia, Mali, Ghana, Benin Republic, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The respondents are as follows: five people in the senior cadre rank from ECOWAS which is the main organisation that the work had as its focal point. These respondents covered the selected departments of the organisation. For the academic institution, three respondents who had worked on ECOWAS and related areas were interviewed. Lastly, two senior members of staff were interviewed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies of the six selected West African countries making a total of 22. Furthermore, secondary data were sourced from ECOWAS documents, such as protocols establishing its various organs, institutions and modus operandi of the institution, books, journals, articles, magazines, newspapers and unpublished literatures as they are relevant to the subject matter. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive and content analyses. The results showed that the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework of 2008, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme of 2006 and ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods which were the organisation’s mechanisms for addressing human security challenges in the sub region, were adequate but with certain challenges. The results also revealed that the importance of the regional framework at addressing human security challenges was in strengthening and promoting human security in the sub region. This is because, the combined efforts of all states in the sub region under ECOWAS contributed to the drastic reduction of violent conflicts in the sub- region and also improved economic performance of the member states. Furthermore, the results also showed that there was a strong nexus between human security and conflict prevention. This is evident in the drastic reduction of violent conflicts in the sub region implying that the promotion and strengthening of human security could serve as conflict prevention mechanism. The study concluded that regional framework was successful in addressing the challenges of human security in the sub- region.
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Primary and secondary data were used for the study. For primary data, 34 in-depth interviews were conducted at the various departments of ECOWAS, which include: Political Affairs, Agriculture and Environment, Gender and Human Development, Trade and Free Movement, as well as Infrastructure. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted at the Department of Political Science of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies of six West African countries in Nigeria. These embassies include Liberia, Mali, Ghana, Benin Republic, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The respondents are as follows: five people in the senior cadre rank from ECOWAS which is the main organisation that the work had as its focal point. These respondents covered the selected departments of the organisation. For the academic institution, three respondents who had worked on ECOWAS and related areas were interviewed. Lastly, two senior members of staff were interviewed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies of the six selected West African countries making a total of 22. Furthermore, secondary data were sourced from ECOWAS documents, such as protocols establishing its various organs, institutions and modus operandi of the institution, books, journals, articles, magazines, newspapers and unpublished literatures as they are relevant to the subject matter. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive and content analyses.
The results showed that the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework of 2008, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme of 2006 and ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods which were the organisation’s mechanisms for addressing human security challenges in the sub region, were adequate but with certain challenges. The results also revealed that the importance of the regional framework at addressing human security challenges was in strengthening and promoting human security in the sub region. This is because, the combined efforts of all states in the sub region under ECOWAS contributed to the drastic reduction of violent conflicts in the sub- region and also improved economic performance of the member states. Furthermore, the results also showed that there was a strong nexus between human security and conflict prevention. This is evident in the drastic reduction of violent conflicts in the sub region implying that the promotion and strengthening of human security could serve as conflict prevention mechanism.
The study concluded that regional framework was successful in addressing the challenges of human security in the sub- region.
Primary and secondary data were used for the study. For primary data, 34 in-depth interviews were conducted at the various departments of ECOWAS, which include: Political Affairs, Agriculture and Environment, Gender and Human Development, Trade and Free Movement, as well as Infrastructure. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted at the Department of Political Science of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies of six West African countries in Nigeria. These embassies include Liberia, Mali, Ghana, Benin Republic, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The respondents are as follows: five people in the senior cadre rank from ECOWAS which is the main organisation that the work had as its focal point. These respondents covered the selected departments of the organisation. For the academic institution, three respondents who had worked on ECOWAS and related areas were interviewed. Lastly, two senior members of staff were interviewed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies of the six selected West African countries making a total of 22. Furthermore, secondary data were sourced from ECOWAS documents, such as protocols establishing its various organs, institutions and modus operandi of the institution, books, journals, articles, magazines, newspapers and unpublished literatures as they are relevant to the subject matter. The data obtained were analysed using descriptive and content analyses.
The results showed that the ECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework of 2008, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme of 2006 and ECOWAS Protocol on Free Movement of Persons and Goods which were the organisation’s mechanisms for addressing human security challenges in the sub region, were adequate but with certain challenges. The results also revealed that the importance of the regional framework at addressing human security challenges was in strengthening and promoting human security in the sub region. This is because, the combined efforts of all states in the sub region under ECOWAS contributed to the drastic reduction of violent conflicts in the sub- region and also improved economic performance of the member states. Furthermore, the results also showed that there was a strong nexus between human security and conflict prevention. This is evident in the drastic reduction of violent conflicts in the sub region implying that the promotion and strengthening of human security could serve as conflict prevention mechanism.
The study concluded that regional framework was successful in addressing the challenges of human security in the sub- region.