The pervasive and apparently intractable nature of the numerous conflicts ravaging the global community has remained a huge problem and concern. The extent of the conflicts appears to be greater in Africa than in any other region of the world. In 2003, over half of the countries in Africa and 20% of the population were affected by conflict. In 2003, 46% of all developing countries affected by conflict were in Africa. During the previous decade, over six million people died, and over twenty million persons were displaced.1 Contrary to the expectation, the end of the Cold War has not resulted in any appreciable reduction in the incidents of violent conflicts across the globe, especially Africa. Rather than a drop in the world conflict profile, we are confounded by the spread of hostilities and violent conflicts even to regions that had hitherto enjoyed some measure of stability. Thus, while it is correct to say that the Cold War is over, we cannot say with confidence that we are any closer to winning the battle for global peace and security. The ugly incidences of these conflicts leave a lot of destruction and human misery in their trial. In Africa, the root-structural causes of these conflicts are complex and multifaceted. Research and scholarship in conflict studies have produced abounding evidence that there is a link between the character of the post-Cold War and conflicts in Africa.2 However beneficial the end of the Cold War has been in other respects, it has far-reaching negative implications on conflicts. Inter alia, it has let loose a global deluge of surplus weapons into a setting in which the risk of local conflict appears to have grown markedly. The withdrawal of East-West patronage, aid and military assistance created instability as weak and overcentralized states in Africa became more vulnerable to internal dissent. As weakened authoritarian regimes lost internal control and external support, a number of states collapsed. The resultant effect was the eruption of incessant conflicts which have assumed the defining characteristics of the post-Cold War world. The Sierra-Leonean conflict was one among the many conflicts that characterize the post-Cold War era. The scale of carnage and horror occasioned by the Sierra-Leonean conflict made a third party intervention unarguably imperative. As Imobighe argued, “An intergovernmental organization within a conflict-ridden region can hardly ignore…conflicts and still function effectively.”3 In the case of Sierra-Leone, both the Economic Community of West African Countries (ECOWAS) and the United Nations (UN) jointly showed concern. This concerted intervention featured a unique idea of division of labor between the United Nations and regional organization in the resolution of regional conflict. This paper therefore, intends to analyze the United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States’ joint intervention in Sierra-Leone and the associated problems that haunted the intervention, which revolved around the issue areas of peacekeeping, peacemaking and peace enforcement. On the basis of such analysis, it may be possible to make tentative generalizations of cooperation between the UN and regional organizations in peace support operations and develop lessons that can guide future operations.
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