Alert!

Côte d'Ivoire Crisis: WANEP Policy Briefs(2)

ECOWAS Intervention

A major breakthrough was attained on Thursday October 17, when the ECOWAS mediation team cajoled the rebels to sign the cease fire and pave the way for dialogue. Before then, ECOWAS intervention efforts seem to have been facing difficulties. The Ivorian pro-government media that has been so skeptical and critical of the ECOWAS' intervention says there are points of divergence within the sub-regional body.

It is perceived that President Abdoulaye Wade, current Chairperson of ECOWAS sent his emissary, Foreign Minister, Cheikh Tidiane Godio with new proposals for an enlarged peace accord without proper consultation with other members mandated by the Accra Extraordinary Summit. This seems to have been the view of the Togolese Foreign Minister, Koffi Panou. Chiekh Tidiane has refuted any disagreements. Nevertheless, doubts seem to have been cleared as the delegation registered a major victory at Bouaké today.

Yet skeptics fear that Senegal is indirectly being used as French surrogate to undermine ECOWAS' "original" initiatives. In the true spirit of its conventions, Nigerian jets were on hand for a rapid intervention, but the idea seemed to have been killed with French instigation. The French consider Côte d'Ivoire as a special reserve (backyard) and must therefore influence decisions as to the future of the leading economy and strategic partner in Francophone Africa. President Wade of Senegal played similar surrogate role in the just ended political power struggle in Madagascar.

Having responded to the Ivorian government's plea for military assistance by hesitantly providing logistic support, and after having evacuated its nationals from rebel controlled territory, the French seem to be more concerned with the protection of economic interests. However, their overall political agenda is yet unknown as they seem confused, except this could also be a strategy.

The rebels are warning France to steer clear, while the government and its supporters are accusing Elyséé of inaction and betrayal of trust as Ivorians looked to the implementation of the defense pact signed with Houphouet in vain. Suffice to say France signed similar treaty with Burkina Faso, the presumed haven for the rebellion. Notwithstanding, France says she is paving the ground for an ECOWAS interposition troops. Gbagbo wants France to play same role.

What is certain is that ECOWAS is taking a cautious stance and at the same time undertaking a wider consultation, drawing experience from the Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau. The rather hostile attitude and analysis by the Ivorian press vis-à vis ECOWAS is rather untimely, and unhealthy to the much desired quest for peace in Cote d'Ivoire and at the sub-region at large.

Côte d'Ivoire has not ratified some of the ECOWAS conventions and like most former French colonies seems to rely so much on France. After two successive coups with no French reaction, West Africans (Africans in general) must learn to believe in them selves and work towards an effective and acceptable regional intervention force.