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A Special International Report
Prepared by
The Washington Times
Advertising Department - Published on September 30, 1999
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Sponsors (1) Federal Ministry of Finance
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My brother’s keeper
However, the Economic Community of West African Nations (ECOWAS) – led by Nigeria, realized the danger and acted to contain the fighting. Despite economic, political and social problems Abuja played a central role in forming the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), a multinational military force which intervened in Liberia in 1990, Sierra Leone in 1997 and Guinea-Bissau in 1998.
“I think we have done very well but at great cost both monetarily and in manpower,” said Minister of Defense Yakubu Danjuma.
Nigeria’s push for the formation of ECOMOG proved to the West its ability to act as a regional policeman. However, following the death of General Sani Abacha in June 1998 a shift occurred in the government’s regional view. Instead of vying to be the overwhelmingly dominant force in West African peacekeeping, Nigeria now is pushing for greater regional participation as well as increased international support.
“We will want to play a role as equals, maybe not in terms of numbers, but the almost unilateral role we are now playing has exposed us too much. I think we have to learn a lesson from it,” Danjuma said.
American leaders have recognized the part ECOMOG has played in regional stability. According to a Western official ECOMOG has been reasonably effective and represents the “peacekeeping force of choice.”
With the June 7 signing of a cease-fire agreement between Sierra Leone President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah and Foday Sankoh, leader of the Revolutionary United Front, the brutal civil war has hopefully come to an end; ECOMOG forces remain to enforce the truce. Nigeria is looking to the international community to increase its support of ECOMOG operations there and has signaled that it will withdraw a portion of its troops. Operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone have cost about $4 billion since 1994. Abuja has assumed most of the financial burden, but the loss of revenues because of a decline in oil prices may force President Olsegun Obasanjo to rethink Nigeria’s peacekeeping commitments.
Danjuma compared Nigeria’s regional role to that of the U.S. in the global context. “We are becoming the U.S. of ECOMOG. As the U.S. knows, operations such as this come at great expense.” Estimates have put Nigeria’s peacekeeping costs at more than $1 million per day.
Danjuma says the internal debate has become even more contentious with the democratic transition since the government is now held accountable for its actions. “It is expensive and not popular locally because of competition for the countries resources to fulfill social needs,” he said. “We are expending abroad and it is not necessary.”
In addition to not being able to afford the costs, Danjuma says, Nigeria’s role “elicits concerns of regional domination from other members and countries such as France who think we are throwing our weight around too much.”
While lauding Nigeria’s leadership in Sierra Leone during a March address to the United Nations Security Council, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan recognized the need to garner additional international support saying "The contribution of Nigeria to ECOMOG has been so central that ECOMOG's military viability could be threatened if that contribution was decreased."
In a further sign of Nigeria’s push for a more joint approach to security, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote de Ivoire, Mali and Niger committed to participate in ECOMOG’s Sierra Leone operation. Another collective ECOMOG force will also oversee the implementation of a November 1998 peace agreement ending the civil war in Guinea Bissau. The ECOWAS secretariat created a new peacekeeping structure in ECOWAS, the ECOWAS Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, Peacekeeping and Security, to prevent or intervene in crises throughout West Africa.
Nigeria’s own military reorganization plan, calling for a smaller, more mobile force, would enhance its ability to participate in regional peacekeeping efforts. According to an American official, Abuja needs to develop such a force to meet national security needs as well as international obligations under either U.N. or ECOMOG auspices. “This does not point toward the traditional armored and mechanized divisions. Instead, lighter, more mobile and flexible forces as detailed by President Obasanjo are required.”
Washington, under its proposed Africa Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI), has offered to help train Nigerian as well as other forces to conduct peacekeeping operations. The long-term goal is to provide a brigade level headquarters capable of providing command and control for peacekeepers; the U.S. would also provide communications equipment – standardizing radio gear and other links – and other non-lethal aid.
Danjuma says Nigeria is open to training but it is even more open to financial assistance. “If we have financial assistance we may [continue to] play a leading role,” he said.
Despite the difficult task Nigeria faces in funding current and future operations, its emerging role as a democratic nation is expected to serve as a stabilizing factor in the region in and of itself.
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Table of Contents (1) It's a new dawn over Nigeria |
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Over the last 15 years, conflicts in Sierra Leone and Liberia represented a major threat to regional security. Warfare between government forces and rebels resulted in some of the worst massacres known in West Africa and put a strain on neighboring countries given the exodus of refugees from the fighting.