This document discusses the framework for cooperative security in Africa and challenges therein. It provides context around increased regional cooperation in the late 1980s/early 1990s due to various global and local factors. It examines ECOWAS as the leading example in West Africa, outlining the institutions and mechanisms it has established like the Mediation and Security Council, Defence and Security Commission, and ECOMOG forces. However, it notes ongoing challenges including issues of sovereignty, differing regional interests, donor dependence, and lack of a shared security vision among some member states. The example of Cote d'Ivoire highlights the need for frameworks to go beyond structures to enable timely, credible action on humanitarian crises.
Framework for security architecture in a sub region in transition - challenge...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses the challenges and prospects for developing a security architecture in Africa. It identifies four pillars needed: human security, democratic governance, transforming conflicts through political processes, and collective security. Some challenges are the legacy of Westphalian sovereignty, regionalism without shared values, and regionalism being leader-driven rather than people-driven. The context of regional cooperation changed in the late 1980s due to shifts in global power and the end of the Cold War. Recommendations include promoting regional values, reducing poverty, democratic security sector governance, and strengthening institutions for conflict prevention and resolution.
Preventing conflict and promoting peace and security within nepad and the afr...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses the peace and security cluster of NEPAD and its operational challenges. It notes that while NEPAD recognizes the importance of peace and security for development, the original document had a limited understanding of the linkages between governance, security, and development. The document summarizes additions made at a later meeting to strengthen the peace and security cluster, including emphasizing democracy, human rights, and a human security approach. It argues this conceptualization of security is commendable and should scaffold NEPAD's implementation. However, challenges remain in translating these understandings into specific policies and ensuring effective implementation.
Reflections on a Peace Building Approach to Conflict Prevention– Some Comment...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses a peacebuilding approach to conflict prevention in West Africa. It argues that peacebuilding must be linked to wider democratization and sustained development efforts. It analyzes the causes of conflicts in Africa, including shifts in global power relations after the Cold War, the rise of identity-based conflicts, increased availability of weapons, and the economic and political impacts of structural adjustment programs in the 1980s. The document calls for a human security approach focusing on four pillars: human security, democracy, transforming conflicts through political processes, and collective regional security.
Helping prevent terrorism and violent conflict the development dimensionKayode Fayemi
The document discusses the development dimension of preventing terrorism and violent conflict in Africa. It argues that narrowly defining security as a military issue fails to address the root causes of conflicts, which are often related to lack of economic opportunity and political legitimacy. A human security approach is needed that considers individual livelihoods and promotes democracy, justice and inclusive development. International organizations must support long-term peacebuilding in a holistic manner rather than just focusing on short-term goals like elections.
Addressing the regional character of conflicts in west africaKayode Fayemi
This document discusses the regional dimensions of conflicts in West Africa and proposes a framework for human security in the region. It begins by outlining the nature and characteristics of conflicts in West Africa, noting that while some countries have made democratic progress, the region remains vulnerable to crisis and violence. It then analyzes the different thematic and geographic categories in the region in terms of their human security situations. The document argues that understanding the root causes of conflicts requires examining both historical and contemporary factors in a nuanced way. It also discusses regionalism in Africa, noting both the progress that has been made through organizations like ECOWAS but also the ongoing challenges to security arrangements and prospects for cooperative security in West Africa.
Comments on the human security aspect of the poverty reduction guidelinesKayode Fayemi
The document discusses the human security dimension of poverty reduction guidelines. It analyzes four typical policy levers proposed in the guidelines: 1) Support for peace building and reconstruction, 2) Support for state monopoly of means of coercion, 3) Promoting social coherence through civil society and tolerance, and 4) Building assets against disasters and economic shocks. However, the document argues that the assumptions and focus on the state in the guidelines provide an incomplete picture in Africa given increasing state illegitimacy. A human security approach requires considering non-state actors and the complex local and international dimensions driving conflicts on the continent.
Preventing Conflict and Promoting Peace and Security Within NEPAD and the Afr...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses the peace and security cluster of NEPAD and the African Union. It notes that while NEPAD recognizes the importance of peace and security to development, it could take a more holistic, human security approach. It summarizes the key areas of focus in the peace and security cluster and comments that emphasizing democracy, governance, and human rights is commendable. However, translating these ideals into specific policies and ensuring effective implementation remains a challenge.
The Peace and Security Challenges Facing Africa: Can the African Union and NE...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses the challenges facing the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in addressing peace and security issues on the continent. It analyzes the peace and security cluster of the NEPAD strategy, highlighting both positive and critical aspects. It examines the causes, nature, and context of conflicts in Africa in order to understand the values of security that need to be promoted. Finally, it discusses prospects for addressing current challenges and the need for genuine global partnership to resolve Africa's violent conflicts.
Framework for security architecture in a sub region in transition - challenge...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses the challenges and prospects for developing a security architecture in Africa. It identifies four pillars needed: human security, democratic governance, transforming conflicts through political processes, and collective security. Some challenges are the legacy of Westphalian sovereignty, regionalism without shared values, and regionalism being leader-driven rather than people-driven. The context of regional cooperation changed in the late 1980s due to shifts in global power and the end of the Cold War. Recommendations include promoting regional values, reducing poverty, democratic security sector governance, and strengthening institutions for conflict prevention and resolution.
Preventing conflict and promoting peace and security within nepad and the afr...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses the peace and security cluster of NEPAD and its operational challenges. It notes that while NEPAD recognizes the importance of peace and security for development, the original document had a limited understanding of the linkages between governance, security, and development. The document summarizes additions made at a later meeting to strengthen the peace and security cluster, including emphasizing democracy, human rights, and a human security approach. It argues this conceptualization of security is commendable and should scaffold NEPAD's implementation. However, challenges remain in translating these understandings into specific policies and ensuring effective implementation.
Reflections on a Peace Building Approach to Conflict Prevention– Some Comment...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses a peacebuilding approach to conflict prevention in West Africa. It argues that peacebuilding must be linked to wider democratization and sustained development efforts. It analyzes the causes of conflicts in Africa, including shifts in global power relations after the Cold War, the rise of identity-based conflicts, increased availability of weapons, and the economic and political impacts of structural adjustment programs in the 1980s. The document calls for a human security approach focusing on four pillars: human security, democracy, transforming conflicts through political processes, and collective regional security.
Helping prevent terrorism and violent conflict the development dimensionKayode Fayemi
The document discusses the development dimension of preventing terrorism and violent conflict in Africa. It argues that narrowly defining security as a military issue fails to address the root causes of conflicts, which are often related to lack of economic opportunity and political legitimacy. A human security approach is needed that considers individual livelihoods and promotes democracy, justice and inclusive development. International organizations must support long-term peacebuilding in a holistic manner rather than just focusing on short-term goals like elections.
Addressing the regional character of conflicts in west africaKayode Fayemi
This document discusses the regional dimensions of conflicts in West Africa and proposes a framework for human security in the region. It begins by outlining the nature and characteristics of conflicts in West Africa, noting that while some countries have made democratic progress, the region remains vulnerable to crisis and violence. It then analyzes the different thematic and geographic categories in the region in terms of their human security situations. The document argues that understanding the root causes of conflicts requires examining both historical and contemporary factors in a nuanced way. It also discusses regionalism in Africa, noting both the progress that has been made through organizations like ECOWAS but also the ongoing challenges to security arrangements and prospects for cooperative security in West Africa.
Comments on the human security aspect of the poverty reduction guidelinesKayode Fayemi
The document discusses the human security dimension of poverty reduction guidelines. It analyzes four typical policy levers proposed in the guidelines: 1) Support for peace building and reconstruction, 2) Support for state monopoly of means of coercion, 3) Promoting social coherence through civil society and tolerance, and 4) Building assets against disasters and economic shocks. However, the document argues that the assumptions and focus on the state in the guidelines provide an incomplete picture in Africa given increasing state illegitimacy. A human security approach requires considering non-state actors and the complex local and international dimensions driving conflicts on the continent.
Preventing Conflict and Promoting Peace and Security Within NEPAD and the Afr...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses the peace and security cluster of NEPAD and the African Union. It notes that while NEPAD recognizes the importance of peace and security to development, it could take a more holistic, human security approach. It summarizes the key areas of focus in the peace and security cluster and comments that emphasizing democracy, governance, and human rights is commendable. However, translating these ideals into specific policies and ensuring effective implementation remains a challenge.
The Peace and Security Challenges Facing Africa: Can the African Union and NE...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses the challenges facing the African Union (AU) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in addressing peace and security issues on the continent. It analyzes the peace and security cluster of the NEPAD strategy, highlighting both positive and critical aspects. It examines the causes, nature, and context of conflicts in Africa in order to understand the values of security that need to be promoted. Finally, it discusses prospects for addressing current challenges and the need for genuine global partnership to resolve Africa's violent conflicts.
Regional actors and security sector governanceKayode Fayemi
This document discusses security sector reform from a regional perspective in Africa. It examines how democratic governance in the security sector fits within regional security arrangements and how security sector governance can be harmonized and monitored regionally. Examples of promising regional initiatives in Africa that incorporate security sector governance are discussed, including ECOWAS' Mechanism for conflict prevention, resolution, and peacekeeping. The roles of regional hegemons and how external actors can coordinate their approaches regionally are also covered.
This document discusses the Boko Haram insurgency in Cameroon and the strategy of popular defense used to counter it. The summary is as follows:
Popular defense, which involves the mobilization of local vigilante groups to support security forces, is examined as a potential solution to the Boko Haram insurgency in Cameroon. While popular defense has contributed to Cameroon's resilience against Boko Haram, developing the economy is seen as a more sustainable solution that could undermine the insurgency's drivers. Factors like low education rates, lack of vocational training, and high poverty levels in Cameroon's Far North region have facilitated Boko Haram incursions.
Global Security Policy and Nigeria's Development.pptxJosephItse
The World is experiencing issues of Security and efforts are on to finding ways to resolve them. Peace and security are twin sacred values desired by every individual, group, nation and the global community because without them. Global security includes but not limited to military and diplomatic measures that nations and international organisations such as the United Nations and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) takes to ensure mutual safety and security. An attempt has been made to x-ray the global security policy as well as Nigeria’s development challenges.
Available literature shows that the major challenges affecting the world includes but necessarily limited to terrorism, health insecurity, human trafficking as well as proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Others include illicit arms, drug trafficking and environmental insecurity. Analysis of global security challenges shows that some countries do not have a single national security policy document but a series of policy documents, such as White Papers on Defence, speeches of the authorities, and other related papers.
Defence, Security And Human Security ConceptsAnurag Gangal
The document discusses India's traditional and modern concepts of defence, security, and human security. It outlines India's internal security threats such as terrorism, naxalism, and communalism. It argues that India's approach needs to shift from a traditional territorial focus to a more comprehensive human security approach that ensures the welfare of individual citizens.
This document provides an introduction to security sector transformation processes in developing countries. It begins by making the case that security sector transformation is needed in Africa to place people at the center of security and protect them from violence. It defines security from a human security perspective that includes both national security and individual protection. The document discusses how transformation differs from and is more profound than reform. It outlines principles of democratic governance that should underlie security sector processes and discusses challenges that African countries face in implementing security sector transformation.
presentation sustainable solutions for peace and human securityTayo Aduloju
Dr Tayo Aduloju Presentation to the 21st Nigerian Economic Summit exploring new tools, techniques and methodologies for mapping, identifying and reducing threats to sustainable peace and human security
This document discusses the concept of national security and its primacy in foreign policy. It defines national security as protecting the survival of the nation-state from external threats. Realism theory views national security as the core objective of foreign policy. During the Cold War, national security dominated foreign policy agendas and led to the emergence of security studies. The document also examines different American grand strategies like neo-isolationism, liberal internationalism, and primacy that aim to achieve national security goals through different approaches to foreign involvement and military posture.
The document summarizes the SIPRI Yearbook 2013. It covers topics such as armed conflicts, peace operations, military spending, arms production, nuclear forces, and arms control efforts. In 2012, the total number of peace operations was 53 while the number of personnel serving in these operations fell by over 10% due to withdrawals from Afghanistan. World military spending in 2012 was estimated at $1756 billion, about 0.4% lower than 2011 but still higher than any year prior to 2008 due to the global economic crisis. The largest military spenders were the US, China, UK, Russia and Japan.
“LEE’s PERCEPTIONS ON HUMAN SECURITY IN AFRICA”John LEE
This document summarizes Lee's perceptions on human security in Africa. It discusses how human security is threatened in multiple ways across Africa, including economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political security dimensions. It also examines factors that shape security, like conflicts, instability, attacks, poverty, and disease. Conflict is prevalent in Africa due to factors like colonial boundaries, poverty, competition over resources, and refugee crises undermine stability. To improve human security, the document recommends policies promoting social inclusion, equitable access to resources, human rights protections, and partnerships between security institutions and other organizations.
This document discusses the concepts of peace and security. It begins by defining peace as a social and political condition that ensures individual, societal, and national development through a state of harmony and healthy relationships. Security is defined as a secure condition free from extreme threats that endanger core values.
It then contrasts traditional and new understandings of peace and security. Traditionally, it focused on military threats, but new conceptions view it more broadly in terms of threats to human existence from issues like terrorism, human rights abuses, health crises, and environmental degradation.
Peace and security are seen as prerequisites for democracy and development to function, as democracy cannot work and development cannot occur without peace and security first being established
Migration has become a major world problem in the light of internalised civil conflicts. The presentation explores how the migration issue is constructed into security threat by states
The document discusses the concept of human security, which takes an individual-centered view of security rather than focusing on the state. It defines human security as consisting of economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political security. It discusses two schools of thought on human security - freedom from fear, which focuses on protecting individuals from violent conflicts, and freedom from want, which broadens threats to include hunger, disease, and natural disasters. The document also examines the relationship between human development and human security, how different countries rank on human development and security indices, and how Indonesia's government deals with human security issues through policy interventions.
This document discusses the concept of human security. It provides background on how human security became part of international discourse in 1994. It then outlines three conceptions of human security and debates around defining and applying the concept. Key risks to human security are also examined, such as state failure, organized violence, relative poverty, and threats from pandemics, environmental degradation, and terrorism.
1) Security sector reform has become an important component of the "whole of government" approach to addressing security challenges. The UK in particular has made security sector reform one of the military's eight defence missions.
2) The UK established interdepartmental funding pools like the Global Conflict Prevention Pool to improve coordination between departments on conflict prevention strategies and security sector reform programs.
3) These funding pools receive both overseas development assistance funds and non-ODA funds from the Ministry of Defence, Department for International Development, and Foreign and Commonwealth Office according to jointly agreed strategies.
This document discusses how science and technology education can strengthen peace building. It begins by outlining some of the main causes of conflicts in Africa, including inequitable distribution of resources, poverty, breakdown of communication, and lack of a culture of peace. The document then examines the role that scientific knowledge, its application, and the scientific process can play in influencing socioeconomic development, poverty reduction, communication, and mindsets that promote peace - all of which are important aspects of peace building.
The document discusses the evolution of the concept of security from a traditional state-centric view to a broader human security perspective. It outlines how human security emerged after World War II to consider all aspects of individual and community life, in contrast to the prior focus only on state sovereignty and military threats. The document then compares the traditional and human security paradigms, examining differences in their referents, threats, and means of ensuring security.
The document discusses the tension between state sovereignty and international governance in matters of international security. It provides an overview of different approaches to humanitarian intervention, democracy and good governance promotion, and international criminal tribunals that have challenged the traditional concept of absolute state sovereignty. While globalization has increased calls for intervention, implementation remains inconsistent and challenges include lack of political will, selective application depending on strategic interests, and tension between universal values and local contexts.
This document discusses the concept of human security and proposes adopting a new paradigm that focuses on protecting people rather than states. It argues that while states remain important for security, they sometimes fail to protect citizens or become threats themselves. The document proposes that human security complements state security by seeking to protect individuals from a wide range of threats and empowering people to act on their own behalf. It also notes that in today's interconnected world, threats can spread rapidly so security policies must have a stronger, more integrated global response.
This document provides an overview of the concept of human security. It emerged after the Cold War as a way to ensure freedom from want, fear and to live with dignity for all people in order to tackle global insecurity. The 1994 UN Development Report was groundbreaking in establishing seven components of human security: economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community and political security. It advocates for a people-centered approach that identifies and addresses the root causes of threats to human survival, livelihood and dignity through both top-down policy frameworks and bottom-up empowerment of individuals. Examples are given of issues human security aims to address.
Peace and security in west africa any role for the commonwealthKayode Fayemi
The document discusses the role of the Commonwealth in promoting peace and security in West Africa. It notes that while the Commonwealth has helped address issues like democratic backsliding in some countries, its influence faces challenges due to unequal power dynamics between members and a consensus-based approach. However, the Commonwealth could still play an important role by promoting human security, democracy, conflict resolution and regional cooperation. Key will be taking a nuanced view of each country's situation and challenges to conflicts, and supporting locally-driven solutions over broad external interventions.
Democracy, Security & Poverty in Ghana: A Mid-Term Review of the Kufuor Admin...Kayode Fayemi
The document provides a mid-term review of Ghana's government under President Kufuor since taking office in 2000. It discusses key challenges facing the government, including preventing conflict while maintaining democracy, developing clear strategies to achieve economic and social progress, and addressing capacity constraints. While social and economic indicators place Ghana above other West African nations, ongoing political tensions since the 2000 election raise concerns about the government's ability to further improve living standards and meet democratic expectations. The greatest challenge is deepening democracy to ensure stability as the country works to develop.
Regional actors and security sector governanceKayode Fayemi
This document discusses security sector reform from a regional perspective in Africa. It examines how democratic governance in the security sector fits within regional security arrangements and how security sector governance can be harmonized and monitored regionally. Examples of promising regional initiatives in Africa that incorporate security sector governance are discussed, including ECOWAS' Mechanism for conflict prevention, resolution, and peacekeeping. The roles of regional hegemons and how external actors can coordinate their approaches regionally are also covered.
This document discusses the Boko Haram insurgency in Cameroon and the strategy of popular defense used to counter it. The summary is as follows:
Popular defense, which involves the mobilization of local vigilante groups to support security forces, is examined as a potential solution to the Boko Haram insurgency in Cameroon. While popular defense has contributed to Cameroon's resilience against Boko Haram, developing the economy is seen as a more sustainable solution that could undermine the insurgency's drivers. Factors like low education rates, lack of vocational training, and high poverty levels in Cameroon's Far North region have facilitated Boko Haram incursions.
Global Security Policy and Nigeria's Development.pptxJosephItse
The World is experiencing issues of Security and efforts are on to finding ways to resolve them. Peace and security are twin sacred values desired by every individual, group, nation and the global community because without them. Global security includes but not limited to military and diplomatic measures that nations and international organisations such as the United Nations and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) takes to ensure mutual safety and security. An attempt has been made to x-ray the global security policy as well as Nigeria’s development challenges.
Available literature shows that the major challenges affecting the world includes but necessarily limited to terrorism, health insecurity, human trafficking as well as proliferation of small arms and light weapons.
Others include illicit arms, drug trafficking and environmental insecurity. Analysis of global security challenges shows that some countries do not have a single national security policy document but a series of policy documents, such as White Papers on Defence, speeches of the authorities, and other related papers.
Defence, Security And Human Security ConceptsAnurag Gangal
The document discusses India's traditional and modern concepts of defence, security, and human security. It outlines India's internal security threats such as terrorism, naxalism, and communalism. It argues that India's approach needs to shift from a traditional territorial focus to a more comprehensive human security approach that ensures the welfare of individual citizens.
This document provides an introduction to security sector transformation processes in developing countries. It begins by making the case that security sector transformation is needed in Africa to place people at the center of security and protect them from violence. It defines security from a human security perspective that includes both national security and individual protection. The document discusses how transformation differs from and is more profound than reform. It outlines principles of democratic governance that should underlie security sector processes and discusses challenges that African countries face in implementing security sector transformation.
presentation sustainable solutions for peace and human securityTayo Aduloju
Dr Tayo Aduloju Presentation to the 21st Nigerian Economic Summit exploring new tools, techniques and methodologies for mapping, identifying and reducing threats to sustainable peace and human security
This document discusses the concept of national security and its primacy in foreign policy. It defines national security as protecting the survival of the nation-state from external threats. Realism theory views national security as the core objective of foreign policy. During the Cold War, national security dominated foreign policy agendas and led to the emergence of security studies. The document also examines different American grand strategies like neo-isolationism, liberal internationalism, and primacy that aim to achieve national security goals through different approaches to foreign involvement and military posture.
The document summarizes the SIPRI Yearbook 2013. It covers topics such as armed conflicts, peace operations, military spending, arms production, nuclear forces, and arms control efforts. In 2012, the total number of peace operations was 53 while the number of personnel serving in these operations fell by over 10% due to withdrawals from Afghanistan. World military spending in 2012 was estimated at $1756 billion, about 0.4% lower than 2011 but still higher than any year prior to 2008 due to the global economic crisis. The largest military spenders were the US, China, UK, Russia and Japan.
“LEE’s PERCEPTIONS ON HUMAN SECURITY IN AFRICA”John LEE
This document summarizes Lee's perceptions on human security in Africa. It discusses how human security is threatened in multiple ways across Africa, including economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political security dimensions. It also examines factors that shape security, like conflicts, instability, attacks, poverty, and disease. Conflict is prevalent in Africa due to factors like colonial boundaries, poverty, competition over resources, and refugee crises undermine stability. To improve human security, the document recommends policies promoting social inclusion, equitable access to resources, human rights protections, and partnerships between security institutions and other organizations.
This document discusses the concepts of peace and security. It begins by defining peace as a social and political condition that ensures individual, societal, and national development through a state of harmony and healthy relationships. Security is defined as a secure condition free from extreme threats that endanger core values.
It then contrasts traditional and new understandings of peace and security. Traditionally, it focused on military threats, but new conceptions view it more broadly in terms of threats to human existence from issues like terrorism, human rights abuses, health crises, and environmental degradation.
Peace and security are seen as prerequisites for democracy and development to function, as democracy cannot work and development cannot occur without peace and security first being established
Migration has become a major world problem in the light of internalised civil conflicts. The presentation explores how the migration issue is constructed into security threat by states
The document discusses the concept of human security, which takes an individual-centered view of security rather than focusing on the state. It defines human security as consisting of economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political security. It discusses two schools of thought on human security - freedom from fear, which focuses on protecting individuals from violent conflicts, and freedom from want, which broadens threats to include hunger, disease, and natural disasters. The document also examines the relationship between human development and human security, how different countries rank on human development and security indices, and how Indonesia's government deals with human security issues through policy interventions.
This document discusses the concept of human security. It provides background on how human security became part of international discourse in 1994. It then outlines three conceptions of human security and debates around defining and applying the concept. Key risks to human security are also examined, such as state failure, organized violence, relative poverty, and threats from pandemics, environmental degradation, and terrorism.
1) Security sector reform has become an important component of the "whole of government" approach to addressing security challenges. The UK in particular has made security sector reform one of the military's eight defence missions.
2) The UK established interdepartmental funding pools like the Global Conflict Prevention Pool to improve coordination between departments on conflict prevention strategies and security sector reform programs.
3) These funding pools receive both overseas development assistance funds and non-ODA funds from the Ministry of Defence, Department for International Development, and Foreign and Commonwealth Office according to jointly agreed strategies.
This document discusses how science and technology education can strengthen peace building. It begins by outlining some of the main causes of conflicts in Africa, including inequitable distribution of resources, poverty, breakdown of communication, and lack of a culture of peace. The document then examines the role that scientific knowledge, its application, and the scientific process can play in influencing socioeconomic development, poverty reduction, communication, and mindsets that promote peace - all of which are important aspects of peace building.
The document discusses the evolution of the concept of security from a traditional state-centric view to a broader human security perspective. It outlines how human security emerged after World War II to consider all aspects of individual and community life, in contrast to the prior focus only on state sovereignty and military threats. The document then compares the traditional and human security paradigms, examining differences in their referents, threats, and means of ensuring security.
The document discusses the tension between state sovereignty and international governance in matters of international security. It provides an overview of different approaches to humanitarian intervention, democracy and good governance promotion, and international criminal tribunals that have challenged the traditional concept of absolute state sovereignty. While globalization has increased calls for intervention, implementation remains inconsistent and challenges include lack of political will, selective application depending on strategic interests, and tension between universal values and local contexts.
This document discusses the concept of human security and proposes adopting a new paradigm that focuses on protecting people rather than states. It argues that while states remain important for security, they sometimes fail to protect citizens or become threats themselves. The document proposes that human security complements state security by seeking to protect individuals from a wide range of threats and empowering people to act on their own behalf. It also notes that in today's interconnected world, threats can spread rapidly so security policies must have a stronger, more integrated global response.
This document provides an overview of the concept of human security. It emerged after the Cold War as a way to ensure freedom from want, fear and to live with dignity for all people in order to tackle global insecurity. The 1994 UN Development Report was groundbreaking in establishing seven components of human security: economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community and political security. It advocates for a people-centered approach that identifies and addresses the root causes of threats to human survival, livelihood and dignity through both top-down policy frameworks and bottom-up empowerment of individuals. Examples are given of issues human security aims to address.
Peace and security in west africa any role for the commonwealthKayode Fayemi
The document discusses the role of the Commonwealth in promoting peace and security in West Africa. It notes that while the Commonwealth has helped address issues like democratic backsliding in some countries, its influence faces challenges due to unequal power dynamics between members and a consensus-based approach. However, the Commonwealth could still play an important role by promoting human security, democracy, conflict resolution and regional cooperation. Key will be taking a nuanced view of each country's situation and challenges to conflicts, and supporting locally-driven solutions over broad external interventions.
Democracy, Security & Poverty in Ghana: A Mid-Term Review of the Kufuor Admin...Kayode Fayemi
The document provides a mid-term review of Ghana's government under President Kufuor since taking office in 2000. It discusses key challenges facing the government, including preventing conflict while maintaining democracy, developing clear strategies to achieve economic and social progress, and addressing capacity constraints. While social and economic indicators place Ghana above other West African nations, ongoing political tensions since the 2000 election raise concerns about the government's ability to further improve living standards and meet democratic expectations. The greatest challenge is deepening democracy to ensure stability as the country works to develop.
1) The document discusses fears about Nigeria's upcoming 2003 elections, noting that past elections organized by incumbent governments were marred by fraud and violence.
2) It argues that elections commonly hold potential for violence in Africa due to high stakes, desperate players, and lack of civil opposition traditions from military rule histories.
3) While problems exist, Nigeria's democracy is maturing as the judiciary has ruled responsibly on contentious issues and other branches have respected its decisions, showing progress amid political transition challenges.
Constitutional governance and institutions of horizontal accountabilityKayode Fayemi
This document discusses constitutional governance and institutions of horizontal accountability, using Nigeria's Independent Corrupt Practices Commission as a case study. It makes three key points:
1) Many African countries have established independent oversight commissions in their constitutions to promote accountability, but these commissions often lack true independence.
2) In Nigeria, while institutions like the Code of Conduct Bureau were established in 1979 to curb corruption, they fail to meet standards of independence and are subject to influence from the executive branch.
3) For oversight commissions to be effective, constitutions need to guarantee their autonomy, secure funding sources, and prosecutorial authority independent of the executive to hold public officials accountable without fear or favor.
Handbook on security sector governance.2Kayode Fayemi
This document summarizes key issues, indicators, and benchmarks for democratic governance in the security sector. It outlines 8 main goals: 1) rule of law and constitutionalism, 2) political representation, 3) personal security and access to justice, 4) national security and conflict prevention, 5) open and accountable institutions, 6) a broader understanding of security, 7) facilitative mechanisms for policy formulation and management, and 8) an enhanced international regime for democratic governance in security. For each goal, it lists objectives, targets, and potential indicators to measure progress toward democratic ideals in security sector governance.
This document provides an overview of security system reform (SSR) efforts in Africa. It finds that while most African governments have undertaken some degree of reform, few conform fully to the OECD definition of SSR. Reforms have often been piecemeal and driven by changing political and economic circumstances. The document then analyzes SSR contexts and efforts region by region in Africa. It finds drivers of reform include peace agreements, democratization, fiscal pressures, and deteriorating security situations. However, information on SSR remains limited. Overall, the document provides high-level context on security sector governance and reform across the African continent.
Peacebuilding and reconstruction ine aftermath of conflict the case of libe...Kayode Fayemi
Peacebuilding and reconstruction efforts require a holistic approach that addresses both short and long-term needs. Immediate relief efforts are important but not sufficient for sustainable peace and security. International actors should foster policy coherence, consult local communities, and consider how their actions may undermine stability, such as through arms sales or policies prioritizing macroeconomic targets over human welfare. A human security approach requires democratic governance, rule of law, development, and respect for human rights.
Peacebuilding and reconstruction ine aftermath of conflict the case of libe...Kayode Fayemi
Peacebuilding and reconstruction efforts require a holistic approach that addresses both short and long-term needs. Immediate relief efforts are important but not sufficient for sustainable peace and security. International actors should foster policy coherence, consult local communities, and consider how their actions may undermine security and development goals. A human security approach requires addressing poverty, lack of opportunities, and the protection of citizens' rights and dignity.
Preventing conflict and promoting peace and security within nepad and the afr...Kayode Fayemi
The document discusses the peace and security cluster of NEPAD and the African Union. It provides context on the causes and nature of conflicts in Africa. Key points include:
- NEPAD recognizes the importance of peace and security but its understanding of the link between governance, security, and development is limited.
- Democracy, good governance, and human rights need to be explicitly prioritized to effectively link human security to development.
- Africa's conflicts are complex with roots in economic issues, shifts in global power, and the proliferation of small arms exacerbating internal divisions.
- A human security approach focusing on democracy, political solutions, and collective security is needed to build peace.
Responsibility to Rebuild: Challenges of Security Sector Reconstruction in Si...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses the challenges of security sector reconstruction in Sierra Leone and Liberia after periods of conflict. It outlines four key factors that provide context: the legacies of authoritarian rule and conflict in both countries, the breakdown of state security sectors and rise of private violence, the end of the Cold War removing imperial influence, and regionalization of conflicts. The document analyzes the peace processes, transitional political arrangements, rebuilding of public institutions, economic development efforts, and post-conflict justice mechanisms in the two countries' security sector reconstruction programs.
The Future of Demilitarisation and Stable Civil-Military Relations in West Af...Kayode Fayemi
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Security is the deepest and most abiding issue in politics. At its heart is the question: How can people live a decent and worthwhile existence, free from threats, intimidation and violence?' The search for security is therefore linked to the pursuit of order; and for the establishment of relative peace and stability amongst individuals and groups with different needs and interests. These concerns are commonly thought to resolved in the domestic realm by the existence of a sovereign state, a body capable of imposing its will on all the groups and institutions within its borders. Nevertheless, domestic security raises important issues, particularly about the roles of the institutions of the 'coercive state'; the police and the military. However, the issue of security is often considered to be especially pressing in international politics because the international realm, unlike the domestic realm, is anarchical, and therefore threatening and unstable by its nature. There has been fierce theoretical debate about whether this implies that international conflict and war are inevitable features of world affairs, and about the extent to which states are able to keep war at bay through cooperation. These debates have become increasingly pressing due to the advent of new challenges to international security, such as the rise of transnational terrorism and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Finally, growing interest in the concept of 'human security' has shifted attention from the security of the state to the security of the individual, and, in the process, widened the notion of security to include, for instance, economic security, food security and personal security.
Realists advance a power politics model of world affairs in which security is primarily understood in terms of 'national security' and war is kept in check by the balance of power. The liberal belief in interdependence and balance in world affairs inclines them to place their faith in 'collective security', while critical theorists have either emphasized the extent to which state interactions are mediated by beliefs, values and assumptions, or exposed masculinist biases in the conventional realist paradigm.
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Governing insecurity in post conflict states - the case of sierra leone and l...Kayode Fayemi
This document discusses security sector reconstruction in post-conflict Sierra Leone and Liberia. It provides context on the legacies of conflict, authoritarianism, and state decomposition that led to insecurity. It examines how transitions from war to peace focused on immediate security needs through demobilization and reintegration efforts. However, it argues that security sector reconstruction requires a long-term, comprehensive approach that addresses governance, development, and political issues to be truly successful and sustainable.
This document discusses factors that can initiate a review of security policy in African countries. It outlines that policy formulation should involve diverse actors from both within and outside of government. It also stresses the importance of adequate human and institutional capacity to successfully carry out the policy process. The document identifies four main factors that can trigger a major security policy review: 1) major political shifts, 2) major strategic shifts, 3) significant economic changes, and 4) cultural crises within security institutions. Effective policy analysis is also highlighted as the backbone of any policy process.
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This summary provides an overview of the challenges to demilitarization and democratic consolidation in West Africa based on the document:
1) West Africa poses some of the greatest challenges to demilitarization due to a history of conflicts, increased arms flows, influence of private armies, and the prominent role of force in conflict resolution.
2) Successful demilitarization requires addressing both quantitative reductions in military forces as well as qualitative changes in military culture and influence.
3) Key challenges include overcoming the militarized mindset developed during decades of authoritarian rule, addressing the colonial legacy of West African militaries, and developing knowledgeable civilian oversight to replace military dominance over security policies.
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1) Security sector changes in post-Cold War Africa have occurred within varied political contexts, from consolidating democracies to conflict-torn societies. This impacts the prospects for democratic norms and controls over security institutions.
2) For democratic consolidation, countries must establish effective and accountable security agencies to protect citizens, as well as effective civilian oversight of armed forces. This requires democratic governance of the security sector.
3) The security sector was largely untouched by early governance reforms. Development agencies focused narrowly on military spending rather than the multi-dimensional process of militarization across society.
4) Understanding
1) The document discusses the historical contexts and causes of conflicts in Africa. It identifies four phases of conflicts - the colonial, nationalist, Cold War, and transition to democracy phases.
2) The types of conflicts discussed include inter-state conflicts over borders, rebellions to overthrow governments, secessionist rebellions, coups d'etat, Cold War sustained conflicts, and conflicts over rural resources.
3) The root causes of conflicts are said to include inequality between groups, state collapse resulting in predatory governments and loss of services/security, and economic decline and shocks causing displacement and pressure over resources.
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The document outlines how European military organization was exported globally through empire and colonialism. Local forces were recruited and trained to serve imperial interests. After independence, northern militaries transitioned to an advisory role, though continue influencing southern armed forces through training and assistance. Defence diplomacy takes place in this historical context of globalized military institutions and ongoing northern efforts to shape forces in the south.
The scourge of socio economic insecurity in nigeria’s fourth republic, and th...Alexander Decker
1) The document discusses socio-economic insecurity in Nigeria since the return to civilian rule in 1999. While expectations were high that an elected government would improve living standards, paradoxically Nigerians have faced harsh socio-economic conditions and a deterioration in their standard of living.
2) Issues like unemployment, collapse of industries, poor infrastructure, sectarian clashes, assassinations and kidnappings have created a high sense of insecurity. This undermines Nigeria's goal of becoming a top 20 global economy and its competitiveness in Africa.
3) The failure of leaders to provide "public goods" like education, healthcare, jobs and reducing inequality has been the source of violence and threatens Nigeria's relevance as an anchor country in
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Framework for cooperative security in a region in transition challenges and prospects
1. Framework for Cooperative Security in a Region in Transition:
Challenges and Prospects1
By
J. ’Kayode Fayemi2
Introduction
The concept of cooperative security is not new in international politics. From its
origins in the 1815 Concert of Europe, to the end of the Cold War when it assumed
wider popularity, cooperative security has become almost a one size, fits all response
to the problems of insecurity and instability in the world. Yet cooperative security
remains essentially a ‘contested concept’ meaning different things to different people
– from the traditional meaning of collective security and collective defence with the
nation state as the primary unit of analysis to the more recent and broader meanings of
individual security (human security) and stability promotion in a new world order.
Since the end of the cold war, the desirability of shifting from a state- and elite
focused view of security to one that places individuals at the centre of the security
equation has gained increasing acceptance in Africa, and indeed in many parts of the
world. While protecting the state and its citizens from external aggression remains a
consideration, the most serious threats facing countries on the African continent at the
beginning of the 21st century tend to be those that either derive from internal causes or
are trans-national and collective in nature. To many in Africa, a safe and secure
environment is a necessary condition for sustainable, poverty-reducing development.
This broader conception that articulates security in a manner that the individual, the
group as well as the state may relate to its fundamental objectives of promoting and
ensuring the right to life and livelihood in an uncertain world underscores the
importance of cooperative security arrangement in Africa. Yet, given the popularity of
1
Being notes prepared for presentation at the African Centre for Strategic Studies’ Southern Africa
Sub-regional Seminar in Maputo, Mozambique on September 26, 2002. Please do not quote without the
author’s permission.
2
Executive Director, Centre for Democracy & Development (Lagos & London) kfayemi@cdd.org.uk
1
2. the trend in international security, cooperative security deserves a more nuanced
analysis, one that brings out regional dimensions and common characteristics in order
for it to be relevant to the security concerns of the African continent.
This presentation attempts to develop a framework for cooperative security in Africa,
looking at the record of Africa in the post cold war decade, the context of regional
cooperation, the challenges to regional security cooperation, the example of
cooperative security in West Africa and ending with some recommendations for
cooperative security in Africa.
Context of Regional Security Cooperation in the late 1980s
Whilst regionalism is not new in Africa, a number of factors seem to have promoted
the virtues of regionalism amongst African leaders and peoples in the late 1980s and
early 1990s. The peculiar context of the 1990s definitely redefined the nature of both
politics and conflict. Triggered by both external and internal factors, the crisis of
hegemony and legitimacy of the average African state found refuge in the attempt to
seek a common response to the problems at home.
• Shifts in global and geo-political power relations, in particular the end of the
cold war and the retraction of the imperial security umbrella, allowed former
client regimes to be challenged in ways unimaginable in the past;
• The retreat of the superpowers placed greater prominence on the role of and
competition between regional powers in conflict and conflict management;
• Conflict parties (both governments and rebel groups) previously supported by
superpowers had to turn to new sources of funding, including the exploitation
of natural resources and criminal activity (drugs, etc) making them potentially
less amenable to external pressure;
• New particularistic forms of political consciousness and identity, often
structured around religion and ethnicity, replaced the extant ‘universalistic’
debates between ‘capitalism’ and ‘socialism’ that had underpinned the Cold
2
3. War, reinforcing the erosion of a sense of common citizenship fostered by
state contraction and popular disillusionment with politics;
• Erosion of the institutional capacity of the average African state, the most
profound aspect of which was the decomposition of the security apparatuses,
affecting the ability of the state to ensure the security of the state as well as
that of the community.
• African states were subjected to multiple sources of pressure that eroded their
sovereignty: from above, the cooption of crucial areas of policy initiative by
the IFIs and a variety of donor agencies: from below – the activation of civil
society and the increasing power and resources controlled by the non-
governmental sector
• Loss of centrality of the state as a consequence of contracting resources and
capacity to deliver essential services, with various implications for its ability
to act as the centre of social cohesion as well as for perceptions of citizenship;
• State militarism, which became the progenitor of the psychology of militarism,
loss of a culture of dialogue, implanting a culture of violence, and
discouraging peaceful conflict-resolution and process of change.
• The increasing availability and privatisation of the instruments of violence,
transforming the military balance between state and society. Massive
retrenchment and growing surplus of military assets globally, simultaneously
with a breakdown in supply-side and demand side controls on global arms
markets and (locally) recycling of decommissioned weaponry as most of the
wars of the 1980s wound down.
• New forms of violent national and trans-national crime.
An African Balance Sheet in the 1990s Decade
3
4. • Democratic transition in Africa has produced a medley of results ranging from
consolidating democracies (South Africa, Botswana, Mauritius, Ghana,
Senegal, Mali, Mozambique), a variety of ‘semi’, ‘liberal’, ‘virtual’ and
‘lapsing’ democracies (Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Malawi), authoritarian
and/or militarised states (Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Sudan,) and conflict torn
societies and post conflict societies (Liberia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Rwanda,
Burundi and Sierra Leone).
• Values and norms of governance have become more prevalent in Africa
• While the economic situation remains fragile, overall economic performance
in Africa has actually improved marginally, relative to the 1980s
• Regionalism has taken much firmer root, crowned recently by the launch of
the African Union and introduction of NEPAD
• Regional and sub-regional conflict management mechanisms put in place as
Africans strive to develop an autonomous capacity to handle their conflicts in
spite of the inherent challenges of regionalism (West Africa is a pioneer in the
field);
• In spite of some form of international assistance, Africans are increasingly at
the centre of the emerging geo-political realities – with ACRI, RECAMP and
other supporting initiatives acting as back up – ANAD merger with ECOWAS
on the security field is an indication of the need to harmonise often confusing
and duplicating mechanisms; the sense of an Anglo-French rivalry in West
Africa seems to be disappearing; equally the prevalent perception of a Franco-
Nigerian rivalry is beginning to disappear although there are still governments
and actors keen to promote these ‘divisions’. The evidence both in trade and
security terms seem to suggest otherwise but the perception of regional
hegemony still persists with Nigeria and South Africa often put in the
‘hegemon’ box.
• There is now a widespread acceptance of the need to re-conceptualise
‘security’ in a more responsive direction with a move away from the
traditional emphasis on national/state security to a focus on ‘human security’,
with an expansion, concomitantly in the scope of the concept from its
minimalist meaning (as in physical security) to include access to the means of
life, the provision of essential goods, a clean and sustainable environment, as
well as to human rights and democratic freedoms. A key aspect of this is the
4
5. increasing linkage drawn between security and development, on the one hand
rooting insecurity in conditions of underdevelopment, and on the other, the
recognition that security is an essential precondition and component of
development – as well as a growing tendency to see defence and security as
both a public policy and a governance issue (thus broadening the range of
constituencies that can participate legitimately in this formally highly
restricted arena.
Challenges of Regional Cooperative Security
• Legacy of Westphalian sovereignty
• Regionalism without common values
• Notions of regional hegemony
• Regionalism as leaderism in which regional integration is only happening at the
level of leaders without permeating the consciousness of the people;
• Regionalism as formalism in which a wide array of institutions have been created
with little or no capacity to manage them
• Regionalism as an externally driven, not a people driven project
Institutionalising Regional Cooperative Security: The West African example
It can be reasonably argued that ECOWAS in West Africa represents the best
example in Africa of a process of institutionalising cooperative security on the
continent. Established in 1975 to promote cooperation and development in all fields
of economic activities among its 16 member states, ECOWAS entered into
cooperative security from a primarily regional economic integration objective in 1990
when it went into Liberia to restore peace. Although a Mutual Assistance in Defence
Protocol was signed in 1981, ECOWAS’ first foray into the collective security arena
in 1990 was ad-hoc and capricious. Indeed, it is fair to state that the experience
garnered in the first peacekeeping mission launched in Liberia in has enabled
ECOWAS to pursue an institutional framework for cooperative security following the
bitter lessons that accompanied a mission that was largely driven through the goodwill
and commitment of a regional hegemon, Nigeria. The lack of clarity over mandate,
political acceptance, composition, military capability and accountability of the
5
6. mission affected what was otherwise a well-intentioned regional project with little or
no backing from the international community.
It is however a tribute to ECOWAS leaders that they drew strongly on the lessons of
Liberia and Sierra Leone and decided to institutionalise a conflict mechanism in the
broader scheme of things within the regional economic community. A raft of
agreements - The ECOWAS Revised treaty of 1993, the Protocol relating to the
Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and
Security approved in 1999 and the Supplementary Protocol on Democracy & Good
Governance endorsed by the Heads of State in December 2002 all demonstrate the
fact that a great deal of local thinking is propelling the institutionalisation of a
collective security architecture in West Africa with assigned roles for governments
and civil society.
In spite of the changes that have occurred and the structures put in place, the product
is still a long way away from where it should be. If ECOWAS declarations of intent
are indeed turned into substance as the Heads of Government and the Executive
Secretariat are determined to achieve, it is possible for cooperative security to take a
much firmer root in West Africa in time to come. In terms of institutions, the
Mechanism established several institutions, organs and strategies, all with defined
responsibilities and aims that address peace and security in the sub-region. The most
critical institutions are:
• The Mediation and Security Council – The Council operates at the level of heads
of state and government, ministers and ambassadors, charged with the
responsibilities of taking decisions that impact on peace and security, including
authorising deployment of missions;
• The Defence and Security Commission – Made up of Defence chiefs and security
officials charged with the responsibilities of dealing with the technicalities of
military intervention;
• ECOMOG, the erstwhile ad-hoc force now formally established as a multi-
purpose stand-by force ready for immediate deployment. ECOMOG is described
as multi-purpose in the sense that it can assume one of several functions of
observation, monitoring and peacekeeping. More significantly, it can be deployed
6
7. for humanitarian intervention or the enforcement of sanctions. It can also
undertake policing activities in order to control fraud and/or organised crime;
• An early warning system, in the form of a regional observation network has been
created. Established within the secretariat and also in four zones within the
Community, the observation centres are charged with collecting data on states
ranging across economic, political, security and social sectors to be analysed with
a view to detecting early warning signals that may signify potential conflicts
which could then inform region-wide conflict prevention strategies;
• A Council of Elders is also proposed as a mechanism for injecting traditional
conflict resolution mechanism to assume a role in mediation, conciliation and
negotiation. This is made up of 32 eminent persons drawn from within and
outside the region with a mandate for preventive diplomacy and it is convened as
and when required by the Executive Secretariat.
As Figure 1 below shows, the Executive Secretariat plays a central role in ensuring
that the Conflict Mechanism functions adequately. As stated above, the Executive
Secretary has the responsibility to deploy the Council of Elders in any given situation.
More importantly, the newly created office of Political Affairs, Defence and
Security(PADS) headed by a Deputy Executive Secretary is primarily charged with
the implementation of the mechanism, supervision of the Early warning operations
and the zonal observation centres, servicing of the Defence and Security Commission
and policy formulation and implementation of all peacekeeping and humanitarian
operations.
The Mechanism and its supplementary protocol on Democracy and Good Governance
also take a broader view of security, stressing the importance of human security and
democratic governance in the security sector, including roles for civil society. The
Protocol also covers institutional capacity building in the community in order to
provide humanitarian assistance in conflict or disaster area and provides a framework
for action by the community in the critical area of peace-building.
Whilst the ECOWAS mechanism offers a good approach to designing a framework
for cooperative security, it also remains work in progress. Indeed, the Community
also demonstrates commitment to revising and improving the document based on new
7
8. information. For example, it is now considering approaches to involving the
ECOWAS Parliament in the implementation of the Mechanism and the
Supplementary Protocol on Good Governance and Democracy through the revision of
the Protocol that established the Parliament. In the protocol establishing the
Parliament, it is essentially a forum, composed of delegations from national
parliaments, whose ‘opinion may be sought on matters concerning the Community’
on a range of areas prior to their adoption by the Council’ with little or no supra-
national legislative powers. This is clearly seen as a system that suffers from a ‘huge
dose of democratic deficit’ since parliamentarians are the only direct representatives
of the citizens in the Community. Yet, true as this is, the history of trans-national
legislatures the world over is one of evolution, usually from delegations from national
parliaments to directly elected representation. It is also the case that the powers of
trans-national parliaments gradually evolve from being largely consultative
assemblies to genuine decision-making legislatures, both in scope and in powers.
Circumstances dictate these inevitable transitions and the performance of the
parliament to date gives the impression that its powers will certainly grow in
consonance with the quality of representation in the Parliament.
Second, there are problems of hegemonic regionalism, leaderism, formalism and
donor driven institutionalisation. Many of the institutions created by the Mechanism
for Conflict Prevention, Management, Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security owe
their survival not to the commitment of member states in terms of their financial
contribution, but to the generosity of the European Union, the United States and a
number of Nordic countries. This obviously raises a fundamental question of
accountability and strategic interests especially when those interests conflict. Various
attempts are however being made to address this problem, but none to date has proved
to be successful in getting states to meet their assessed contributions to the
Community, leaving the wealthiest and most populous State to underwrite the
expenses of the organisation, with accusations of domination in its wake.
A third, perhaps most critical problem with the ECOWAS framework is that of the
lack of agreement on a common understanding on security and stability. Although the
protocols referred to above were signed with fanfare by most of the Heads of
8
9. government and their representatives, nation-building peculiarities make it difficult
for member states to exhibit a shared understanding of a common future.
In spite of the progress described above, a sense of disillusionment is still widespread
in West Africa with the current state of regional security cooperation. Indeed, the
unfortunate occurrence in Cote d’Ivoire seems to be promoting the view in some
circles that despotic peace may be better than democratic freedom. Coupled with the
impression that the gains of the last decade is being eroded in the post 9/11 period, it
is important for the United States and other international actors in Africa to be clear
about the message that is being promoted. It would be sad if the view were to gain
widespread acceptance that despotic peace is better than problematic democratic
freedom. The fact that the ECOWAS has not been quick off the mark in responding to
the Ivorien crisis underscores the need for a framework that goes beyond the creation
of institutions and structures, but one that also possesses the capacity and the
credibility to act on the side of humanitarian intervention and restoration of order.
This seminar is thus important as it offers the United States the opportunity to be clear
about its strategic interests whilst also offering the space to listen to the African
counterparts address questions of ownership and accountability of the agenda.
Towards a Framework for Regional Security Cooperation: Recommendations
Although what the West African experience demonstrates is that cooperative security
is possible, even among states that lack common values, the future success of
cooperative security depends not only on spreading values that promote human
security, but also on developmental regionalism that intensifies economic ties even in
the quest to foster a sense of a ‘security community’ that serves the interest of all its
members. The closer the ties among states and their citizens in the socio-economic
spheres, the more they will find ways to further their security cooperatively.
Hence, given the context of regionalism described above and the challenges to
cooperative security in Africa, a number of factors are, in my own view, central to the
success or otherwise of the process of entrenching cooperative security in any
9
10. regional bloc, if we are to move beyond the formalism of the moment. They include,
but are not necessarily limited to the following key elements:
• Understanding the nature of the post-colonial state and the nation-building
prospects in Africa;
• Subscription to and institutionalisation of core regional values and norms;
• Focusing on deepening democratic and open governance and preventing violent
conflicts through political processes;
• Promoting long term conditions for security and development by using human
security as a bedrock for peace;
• Developing an integrated peacebuilding approach to human security – through the
promotion of governmental and non-governmental approaches and treating
peacekeeping, peacemaking and post-conflict transformation in a continuum;
• Entrenching democratic governance of the security sector by establishing a clear
role definition for security services whilst enhancing professionalism of the sector;
• Building the capacity of African institutions for early warning, as well as
enhancing their capacity to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts;
• Strengthening developmental regionalism as a means of addressing the negative
aspects of globalisation;
• Establishing the parameters of genuine continental and global partnership –
including role clarification between sub-regional bodies, African Union, United
Nations etc.
Whilst it is difficult to be prescriptive about the framework for security cooperation in
Africa, it is gratifying to note that most of what I have stated here are fully reflected
as the key responsibilities of the new African Union Peace and Security Council
approved at the African Union Summit in Durban, especially in relation to NEPAD
and in the sub-regional mechanisms with which I am most familiar, ECOWAS.
The challenge is one of achieving and promoting the values of ownership,
participation, open and transparency accountability, fundamental freedoms and the
rule of law and implementation of agreed principles, rather than structures. The
overriding importance of responsible politics and responsive leadership in building
regional security cooperation is evident from the above. Until we get both, the best
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11. that can be hoped for remains hegemonic regionalism, which may keep the peace, but
hardly promotes fundamental values of ownership.
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