The Political Crisis in Cote dIvoire - Essay Example

?Report on the Political Crisis in Cote d’Ivoire – the Mission of the ECOWAS Commission Mediation Team Rationale and Reason for visiting As members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, we have a core mandate to “improve the living conditions of the citizenry, ensure economic growth and create an environment conducive to development and integration” (ECOWAS Community Computer Centre, 2007). To ensure this among all member countries, there is the need for various member countries to enjoy high level of political stability and peace. It is only in such an atmosphere that the citizenry can go about their daily businesses to ensure economic growth. This is to establish that economic growth and human development are inseparable from rule of good governance and law (UNDP Human Development Report, 1996). It is against this background that the ECOWAS Commission has a keen interest in the political situation in member States. As the President of the ECOWAS Commission, I was mandated by the Commission to lead a mediation team to the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire for talks for a possible step-down by the incumbent president, Laurent Gbagbo following his lost in the November 28, 2010 General Elections held in that country. This reason presents details of the said mediation effort; outlining the program structure adopted, key aims and objectives of the program, successes as well as challenges faced. Means and Schedule adopted for the Mediation Effort As this is the very first step taken by the ECOWAS Commission towards the looming political crisis in the Ivory Coast, the team resolved to use “tactical diplomacy with a carrot-and-stick dimension, though” (Kabs-Kanu, 2010) nothing else than Peace Talks. This approach is backed by other global bodies such as The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) who has so far said that it is still too early to apply any military force (Graphic Ghana, 2011). For this reason, the mediation team planned four major meeting which were held in the Ivory Coast. Two meetings each were held on each side of the agitators: that Mr. Lauran Gbagbo and Mr. Alassane Ouattara. On each side, the team meet the main leaders who are Mr. Gbagbo and Ouattara and leaders of their forces. It was a four-day schedule to allow for comprehensive discussions with each group met. The meetings which started two days after the ECOWAS Summit in Abuja was led by the President of the ECOWAS Commission and five other members of the Commission who the Heads of State of Gambia, Liberia, Gabon, Burkina Faso and Ghana. The meetings, which were held behind closed doors and amidst tight security saw all four groups welcome us warmly and presenting their cases in passionate manners. Key aims and objectives involved in the peace mission The Mediation Team set out with one primary aim, which was to convince Mr. Gbagbo to humbly step-down following that “ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations all recognize results showing Ouattara as the winner of that election” (Voice of America, 2011). To achieve this broad aim, the following objectives were set to lead to the eventual achievement of the aim: 1. Listen to the story from both sides: Talking caution from analysts who “say the West African nation is on the verge of crisis after both candidates claimed victory and were installed in separate events” (VOA News, 2010), the Commission would continue to be very professional in its mediation effort to ensure that tempers are boiled. To ensure this, the team resolved to give both parties a fair hearing to show that the Commission is not biased though it holds its stand that Mr. Gbagbo lost the election. 2. Explain to both sides the need for peace: Central on the team’s discussions was the need for the two leaders and their followers to appreciate the fact that they cannot compromise the peace of the Coat d’Ivoire since peace is needed to for national development. 3. State the stand of the ECOWAS Commission to both sides: As mentioned earlier, the team was clear with the stand of the ECOWAS Commission that it admits that Mr. Gbagbo lost the elections. This stand is taken amidst reports of free and fair election and successful counting and declaration of the elections by the Independent Electoral Commission of the Country within the International circles (Bundu, 2011). 4. Use peace talks to convince Mr. Gbagbo to step-down: The team was straightforward with its plea to Mr. Gbagbo to step-down in respect of Democracy and peace. 5. Use peace talks to convince Mr. Ouattara to exercise retrain: As mediation efforts still went on, the Commission appealed through a peace talk to Mr. Ouattara who is recognised by the international world as the winner of the November 28, 2010 election (RFI, 2011) to exercise restrain in other to allow various organisations and bodies to complete their respective mediation exercises. 6. Outline the Commission’s next line of action: The team also outlined its next line of action to both sides should the aim of the mediation fail. As far as the ECOWAS Commission is concerned, if the peace talks and mediation exercises fail, suspension of Ivory Coast and military intervention would be the obvious options, though as a last resort. Urgency of an intervention The ECOWAS Commission is moved to take pragmatic efforts to resolve the political crisis in the Cote d’Ivoire due to a couple of factors outlined below: 1. Risk of War: Forces loyal to both Mr. Gbagbo and Mr. Ouattara have threatened war. Charles Ble Goude, leader of the powerful pro-Gbagbo "Young Patriots" movement has especially that any military intervention starts it would lead the country to another war (Bate & Eboh, 2010). Such war is what the ECOWAS Commission wants to avoid by resolving the agitations peacefully. 2. Economic Crunch: Cote d’Ivoire, being the world’s largest producer of cocoa (Global Exchange, 2007) faces trade ban to most of its export partners should the political crisis continue. If such a situation happens, the country is likely to go through harsh economic turbulence. In such a situation, it is clear the ordinary citien would suffer worse than the frontiers in the political crisis. It is therefore prudent that this mediation steps are taken to safe the ordinary Ivorian from the hardship of economic crunch. Already, The International Monetary Fund has warned “of "serious risks" from the political power struggle in Ivory Coast, saying the longer it continues the more severe its impact will be on the regional West African economy” (Reuters, 2010). 3. Mass repatriation of citizenry: As the political crisis gradually grows into violate bloodshed, it is very much likely that citizens of Cote d’Ivoire would flee the country to neighbouring countries. This situation is likely to bring untold hardship on host countries and the ECOWAS Commission. Cote d’Ivoire would also lack the human resource needed to develop it should this happen. Already, “Foreign embassies already have ordered a majority of their staff to leave as anti-Western sentiment simmers” VOA News, 2011). 4. Impact of Education of Children: The ECOWAS Commission has an urgent mission to save the future leaders of Ivory Coast because a continuation of the political crisis would definitely interrupt school curriculum and the worse of this will be seen should war break out. Statement of Case from the Meetings Primarily, the political crisis in Cote d’Ivoire has arisen because there has been judgment of results of the November 28, 2010 election run-off coming from two quarters of the country’s recognised election bodies. Talks with both men on the forefront shows that “Mr. Gbagbo says he is the president because Ivory Coast's constitutional council annulled as fraudulent nearly ten percent of all ballots cast, giving him 51 percent of the vote. Mr. Ouattara says he is the president because the United Nations certified the original electoral commission results that show him winning 54 percent of the vote” (Voice of America, 2010). Positive progress made Perhaps the most significant success that the mediation team has recorded so far is the fact that both Mr. Gbagbbo and Mr. Ouattara gave us warm reception. The Picture below shows out meeting with Mr. Gbagbo Source: http://www.cocorioko.net/?p=6174 Again, Mr. Gbagbo has unconditionally “agreed to negotiate an end to the country’s political crisis” (VOA, 2011). This is a giant step towards the end of the political crisis. This is because Mr. Gbagbo happens to be the man at the centre of affairs. In effect, “Gbagbo’s forces will lift a blockade around the hotel where his political rival, Alassane Ouattara, has been holed up for weeks” (Nigerians Abroad Report, 2011). This means that the ECOWAS Commission do not only have the support of Mr. Gbagbo as an individual but that of his forces and supporters. The blockade has been the cause of intermittent shooting incidences around the hotel and its lifting means that peace would be enjoyed to a very large extent. On the side of Mr. Ouattara, he has agreed to form a unity government should Mr. Gbagbo take the gentleman step by stepping down. This agreement was achieved as part of the mediation team’s suggestion for a peaceful end of the political tension and has already been confirmed by Ivory Coast’s ambassador to the United Nations saying “presidential claimant Alassane Ouattara would form a unity government with members of incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo’s party, if Gbagbo steps down first” (VOA News, 2011). The mediation team and the ECOWAS Commission as a body see this as a huge step towards achieving peace in the Cote d’Ivoire. In the wisdom of the team, Mr. Ouattara agreeing to form a unity government with members of the incumbent president would be a lucrative bargain for Mr. Gbagbo to step down considering that he might not see his stepping down as a total lost. Obstacles and problems being faced There are two major obstacles to the peace mediation team. In the first place, there seem to be conflicting methodologies between the ECOWAS and the United Nations Forces. The UN forces in a bid to protecting civilians by the use of military convoy are being misunderstood by Mr. Gbagbo’s camp who claim the convoy are there to sabotage them. It is not surprising therefore that a UN convoy of peacekeepers came under fire from pro-Gbagbo forces in Abobo on January 11 where the UN troops returned fire leaving three soldiers were slightly wounded (Monnier & Bax, 2011). To this effect, Mr. Gbagbo has demanded that UN forces leave Cote d'Ivoire, but the Security Council resolution has reiterated that it would send another 2,000 reinforcements until 30 June (RFI, 2011). This conflicting approaches seem to make Mr. Gbagbo’s forces more and more aggressive and resistant to calls from the mediation team. Secondly, there seem to be an outbreak of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of ordinary citizens. This is a serious threat to the achievement of peace in the country. Forces loyal to both Mr. Gbagbo and Ouattara are fully armed. Because of this situation, these forces retaliate in the most violate form at the least provocation. As a matter of fact, until measures are put in place to disarm local forces, the possibility of war and violence can hardly be ruled out. Recommendations and action points Based on information in this report, the mediation team makes the following recommendations and action points. 1. Peace should be given the chance to reign till as long as it wears out of effectiveness 2. There should be a coalition and consensus approach by all mediation teams. Special mention is made of the UN, AU, UNDP AFRICOM and other non-governmental organisations. This coalition would ensure that there is unison in the methodology for resolving the crisis. This way, the possibility that whiles one group is achieving peace, the other side would be raising tempers would cease. 3. There should be a legal instrument in place to disarm all civilians and unrecognised forces of their weapons. This would great a realisation among the citizenry that starting any civil war would put them at a disadvantage because they will not be in the position to protect themselves. This war, they will not wage for war at all. 4. All member countries under the ECOWAS Commission should back unanimous decisions taken by the Commission to portray a united front in the war against the political crisis in Cote d’Ivoire. 5. As an action point, The ECOWAS Commission should give Mr. Ouattara more room to operate. This way, the ECOWAS Commission should begin engaging Mr. Ouattara in the Commission’s programs and activities to popularise their presidency in the face of the international world. 6. As an action point, the ECOWAS Commission should from immediate effect suspend Mr. Gbagbo from its membership. 7. As an action point, military intervention should be used but as the last resort. 8. In the wake of serious violence, countries who are neighbours to Cote d’Ivoire should wholeheartedly accept refugees from Cote d’Ivoire to reduce the number of potential casualties and victims. 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